1246 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



Uses :-— Tb e arrowroot from this plant is used medicinally 



in some parts of the country. 



A fairly large trade exists in tikhur or tankir arrowroot all over India. 

 It is used as a substitute for ordinary arrowroot, but regarded as less desir- 

 able medically. It is, however, a favourite article of food among the Natives 

 especially for children. The Travancore arrowroot is reported to be not 

 infrequently mixed with the starch of cassava or of tapioca (Manihot uti- 

 lissima, p. 766). In Upper India it is said starch of the sweet-potato is some- 

 times employed as an adulterant, and in Bombay the colourless young tubers 

 of the ordinary turmeric are mixed with those of this plant. 



The late Dr. Lisboa (Notes on Mahableshwar and other Indian Arrowroot- 

 yielding PI. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. Hist. Soc, 1887, ii., 140-7) gives much useful 

 information regarding this arrowroot. He would appear to think that much 

 of the East Indian Arrowroot of Western India (especially that of Mahablesh- 

 war) is derived from the tubers of Hitchena caulina, Baker. [C/. Cooke, Fl. 

 Pres, Bomb., ii., 728.]— Watt's Commercial Products of India, p. 444. 



1232. G. aromatica, Salisb., h.f.b.i., vi. 210. 



Syn. : — C. Zedoari, Roxb. 8. 



Sans. : — Vana haridra. 



Vern. : — Jangli-haldi, ban haldi(EL) ; Banhalud (B.) ; Kapur 

 kachali (Guz.) ; Ranhalad, Kasturimanjal (Tarn.) ; Kasturi pasu- 

 pa, kattu-mannal (Tel.) ; Anakuva, kattu-mannar (Mai.) ; Kasturi- 

 arishnia (Kan.). 



Habitat : — Throughout India. 



An annual herb, biennial, says J. G. Baker ; growing from 

 the previous year's tubers. Rootstock lin. diam.; tubers sessile, 

 yellow, aromatic inside. Petiole as long as the blade which is 

 1-21't. by 4-8in. Leaves 3 to 4ft. caudate, large oblong persist- 

 ently pubescent beneath, base deltoid, plain green above or 

 variegated with lighter and darker green. Flowers in dense 

 compound ; spikes crowned by a coma of coloured enlarged 

 bracts ; lower bracts ovate, membranous, enclosing several 

 bracteolate fugitive flowers which open in succession. Spike 

 with peduncles 1ft. produced from April to June with or 

 before the leaves, the later half as long, 3-4in. diam ; flower- 

 bracts ovate pale-green, l|-2in., those of the coma larger and 

 more or less tinged with pink. Flowers shorter than the 

 bracts. Corolla- tube lin., upper half funnel-shaped. Lobes 



