1254 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



Dymock writes that in Bombay a powder of the tubers " is 

 used as a popular local application in mumps (Galgand), but 

 as they are generally combined with more active remedies, 

 such as Croton seed, Aconite, and Nux- vomica, it is probable 

 that they do not contribute much to the cure." " The sub- 

 stance of the rhizomes and tubers is of a pale straw-colour, has 

 a bitter, pungent, camphoraceous taste, much like that of true 

 Zedoary ; the whole plant is aromatic." In the Gazetteer of 

 the Rewa-Kanta District, it is stated that the roots are sto- 

 machic and are also applied to swellings. Thwaites remarks 

 that in Ceylon the root is employed medicinally, but he does 

 not state for what purpose. The almost universal belief (from 

 one side of India to the other) that the rhizomes are useful in 

 reducing swellings, would suggest the desirability of this sub- 

 ject being more carefully investigated in the future. (Watt.) 



1240. Hedyehium spicatum, Hamilt., h.f.b.l, 



vi. 227. 



Sans. : — Karpurakachali. 



Vern. : — Sit-ruti, kapur kachri (Hind.) ; Kachur-kachu, ban 

 kela, saki, banhaldi, khor, shalwi, sheduri, (Bazar root) = kapur 

 kachri, kachur (Pb.); Kapur kachari* (Mar. and Guz.) ; Shimai- 

 kich-chilik kishangu (Tarn.). 



Habitat : — Sub-tropical Himalaya ; Nepal ; Kumaon. 



A perennial herb. Rootstock horizontal, tubrous ; root 

 fibres not much thickened. Stem elongate, leafy. Leaves 

 reaching 1ft. or more, very variable in breadth, glabrous, oblong 

 or oblong-lanceolate. Spike sometimes 1ft., dense-fid. Bracts 

 oblong, obtuse, green, large, 1-fid, 1-1J by fin. broad. Flowers 

 ascending and closely imbricate, white. Calyx shorter than 

 the bract. Corolla-tube 2-2£in.; segments lin., linear. Stami- 

 node lin., lanceolate ; lip cuneate, deeply bifid, |-|in., broad, 

 not at all clawed. Stamen 1, rather shorter than the lip ; 

 anther linear, i-Jin., 2-celled, connective very narrow, neither 



* It is a mistake to call this plant Kapur Kachri. The real Kachri is 

 Ksempferdie galanga. The Marathi name of Hedyehium spicatum is Sona- 

 takka, (K. R. K.) 



