922 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



middle, valves often again splitting. Seeds very many, small, 

 scarcely compressed. Embryo nearly straight. 



Officinal in botli Pharmacopeias. 



The seeds of tobacco yield on pressing 9 to 10 per cent., and by extrac- 

 tion, 30 to 32 per cent of a greenish-yellow oil. It is said to have strong 

 drying powers. The fatty acids are stated to consist of 25 per cent, of 

 oleic acid, 15 per cent, of linolic acid. 32 per cent of palmitic acid, and a 

 small quantity of stearic acid. 



880. N. rustica, Linn, h.f.b.i., iv. 245. 



Vern. : — Chilassi tamaku, kukkar, tamaku (Pb. and Hind.). 



Habitat : — A native of Mexico, cultivated in Europe, Asia, 

 Africa and America. 



It differs from N. Tabacum in its smaller stature, its sub- 

 orbicular leathery leaves, and in the greenish-yellow flowers, 

 the segments of which are much shorter. 



Used like the preceding. 



N. 0. SCROPHULARINE^L 



881. Verbascum Thapsus, Linn, h.f.b.i., iv. 250; 

 Eoxb. 188. 



English :—" Great Mullein." 



Vern. : — Vulr, phiil ; bantamaku, phasruk, bhum ke dhiim, 

 eklbir, kadanda, phiintar, kwispre, khargosh, khar kharuar, 

 spin kharuar, gurganna, karathri, ravand chini (Pb.) ; Gidar 

 tamaku. (H.). 



Habitat: — Temperate Himalaya, from Kashmir to Bhotan. 



A densely woolly eglandular herb. Stem simple, stout, 

 2-3ft. Root-leaves 6-18in ; cauline oblong, upper acuminate, 

 oblanceolate, very decurrent, entire or crenate. Spikes simple, 

 dense woolly, 6-10in. Bracts longer than the flowers. Stamens 

 5, fertile, 2 glabrous and three with white hairs. Fruit a 

 capsule. Seeds numerous, not winged. 



Uses : — In Bassahir, the root is given as a febrifuge. The 

 name rewand chini of this plant seems to indicate that it is 



