1260 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS, 



OJtem.«comp.— The drug yielded to analysis- 

 Ether extract (essential oil, fat, and soft resins) ... C-96 

 Alcoholic extract (sugar, resins) ... ... ... 7*29 



Water extract (gum, acids, &c.) ... ... ,„ 13*42 



Starch ... ... ... ... ,., 15-08 



Crude fibre ... ... ... ... ... 12-61 



Ash ... ... ... ... ... 6'80 



Moisture ... ... ... ... ... 7*66 



Albuminoids, modifications of arabin, &e. ... ... 30'18 



100 00 

 The root had a pungent odour, similar to a mixture of camphor and nutmeg, 

 the soft resin had a bitter and burning taste. The colouring matter had many 

 of the reactions of curcumin, but was more readily bleached than true 

 curcumin, and the colour of the powder was very fugitive. The water extract 

 gave a crystalline precipitate with lead acetate, which was found to be due 

 to the presence of malic acid. The root contained more mucilage and sugar 

 than that of Curcuma aromatic a. (Pharmacogr. Ind. HI, 427.) 



1247. Costus Speciosus, Smith, h.f.b.l, vi., 249 ; 

 Roxb. 20. 



Sans. : — Kemuka ; Pushkara mulaka. 



Vern. : — Kust, ken (B. &. FT.) ; Osop (Santal) ; Gudarieha- 

 kanda (Bomb.); Pinnga, penva (Mar.); Bommakachika (Tel.); 

 Tsjanakua (Mai.) ; Keyu, Keoli, kutshiriu (U. P.). 



Habitat :— Throughout India. 



An annual herb. Root-stock tuberous, horizontal. Leafy 

 stem 6-9ft., stout. Leaves |-lft., or more, oblong ; acute, thinly 

 silky beneath. Spike very dense-fid, 2-4in., bracts ovate 

 bright-red, 1-1-Jin. Calyx lin. ; segments 3, ovate, cuspi- 

 date. Corolla-segments white, oblong, l-ljin. Lip white, 

 suborbicular, 2-3in., the margins incurved and meeting. Fila- 

 ments 14-2in., including the oblong petaloid connective. Cap- 

 sule lin., globose, red, crowned with the persistent calyx. 



Uses : — The root is said to be bitter, astringent and digestive, 

 and to be useful in catarrhal fevers, coughs, skin diseases, &c. 

 (U. C. Dutt.) In the U. Provinces, from the root a strengthen- 

 ing tonic is made, and it is also used as an anthelmintic. 

 (Atkinson.) Roxburgh notices a preserve made of the fresh roots 

 which is considered wholesome and nutritious. Ainslie, quoting 

 Brown's History of Jamaica, says that the root is there used as 



