1296 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



The reserve material of the bulbs and other underground parts of certain 

 monocotyledons (such as garlic, hyacinth, narcissus and tuberose) is a kind 

 of inulin. To separate this substance, the bulbs, &c. are cut into small 

 fragments, and digested with ether, to cause the expulsion of the sap from 

 the cells ; the sap collecting at the bottom of the vessel, together with a 

 further amount remaining in the fragments, and liberated by pressure, is 

 purified with basic lead acetate and animal charcoal, and the inulin precipi- 

 tated by baryta water. The insoluble baryta compound of the carbo-hydrate is 

 decomposed by carbonic anhydride, and the inulin precipitated with alcohol- 

 ether as a syrup. Finally, this is dried in succession by washing with alcohol 

 and ether, and then under diminished pressure, and at 100°. 



The inulin of garlic, C - H 10 5 , is a white, inodorous, amorphous powder, 

 distinct from the inulin of the Jerusalem artichoke Its taste is insipid, and 

 it is very deliquescent. It melts at 175-176°, and is soluble in water and 

 dilute alcohol, but only sparingly in strong alcohol. The rotatory power is 

 [o]D=— 39°. It does not reduce alkaline copper tartrate, and is completely 

 hydrolysed by acids to levulose. It is precipitated neither by normal nor by 

 basic lead acetate, except in presence of ammonia. It is not hydrolysed by 

 amylase (malt diastase), but is resolved into levulose by an enzyme innlase, 

 which is secreted by Aspergillus niger, and is similar to the enzyme of the 

 inulin of the Jerusalem artichoke, and of Atractylis. The inulin of garlic is not 

 fermented either by hydrolytic or non-hydrolytic yeasts. 



The sap from the offshoots of the garlic bulbs contains only traces of 

 reducing sugars, and yields nothing but levulose on hydrolysis, so that it 

 contains no reserve material but inulin.— J. Ch. S. 1896 A. I. 5. 



1283. Urginea indica, Kunth., h.f.b.i., vl, 347. 

 Roxb. 289. 



Sans. : — Vana-palandam. 



Vern. :— Kanda, janglf-piyaz, kande (Hind.); Jongli piaaj, 

 ban-piaaj, kande (Beng.) ; Iskil, kundri, kunda, korikan. (U. P.) ; 

 Ghesuwa (Kumaon) ; Phaphor, kachwassal (Pb.) ; Ranacha-kanda 

 (Mar.); Jangli-kanda, rankando (Guz.) ; Nari-vengayarn (Tarn.); 

 Nakka vulli-gadda (Tel.) ; Adavi-irulli (Kan.) ; Kattulli (Malay). 



Habitat : — Simla, Dekkan, the Coromandel coast, Shaharan- 

 pur, Siwalik and also in the Tons valley. Sindh, on the lower 

 hills. Bundelkhand and adjoining Central India States. 



A small, annual, flabrous, herbaceous plant ; flowers appear- 

 ing before leaves. Bulbs of the size of a small orange or apple, 

 bitter, nauseous, Jin. in diam. or more. Leaves radical, 6-18in. 

 by Jin. Scapes 12-I8in., erect Bracts soon disappearing. 

 Stalks 1-1 Jin. slender. Flowers drooping or spreading, distant, 



