1340 Indian. Medicinal plants. 



crystals appeared to be very thin and somewhat curved. The brown tinge 

 was still noticeable. The length of each crystal is 50 f*, and thickness under 

 I/*. The crystals are sparingly soluble in warm water, freely in boiling 

 water, so that a piece of the wild variety, on being reduced to pulp and boiled 

 with distilled water, was almost deprived of the crystals, while the white 

 crystals were still seen. By filtering the hot water, brown crystals were 

 obtained from the filtrate by evaporation. Is it a fact that the wild variety 

 can be eaten, if well boiled, especially with salt ? 



" On incinerating the piece just as described above, I found that these 

 crystals were not altered in the slightest manner, thus proving that they 

 too were inorganic in nature and that they were not oxalates. 



"Acet'c acid dissolved them without evolution of gas. These were 

 probably sulphate of calcium crystals ; however, I am not certain of that. 

 I examined pieces of both the varieties for other salts after charring and 

 incinerating them This method showed insoluble and soluble carbonates, 

 soluble sulphates and traces of chlorides. 



" Of course, sulphate of calcium, being a poisonous salt, must have some- 

 thing to do with the properties of the wild variety ; however, it is perhaps 

 not the only cause ; a glucoside or an alkaloid may be present too. As I have 

 neither the means nor the time at my disposal, I am not able to settle that 

 point. 



"The important facts, hewever, are that the brown crystals are only 

 present, as far as I know, in the wild variety, and that they are soluble in 

 boiling water and weak acids, without evolving any gas like the white 

 crystals. These are very delicate, and appear in places to be slightly 

 bent ; while the white crystals are rigid, straight, and thicker." 



1314. Synantherias sylvatica, Schott, h.f.b.i. vi. 



518. 



Syn. : — Arum sylvaticum, Eoxb. 630. 



Sans. : — Vajra-kanda. 



Vern. : — Uzomut (Goa) ; Wajramuta (Mar.). 



Habitat : — The Deccan peninsula, from the Northern Sircars, 

 the Concan and south wads to Ceylon. 



Tuberous herbs. Tuber 1-2 Jin. diam, subglobose bulbifer- 

 ous. Leaves long petioled, a foot broad or less, divisions 1-2- 

 pinnatifld ; leaflets few, ovate-lanceolate or oblanceolate, 

 acuminate or caudate, 5-6in. long, lower on the divisions 

 smaller ; petiole 6-18in., pale- green, streaked with darker 

 green ; peduncle up to Sin. long, pink, clouded with dirty green, 

 basal sheaths, short, scarious, pale-pink (Trimen). Hooker says 

 " petiole and peduncle l-2ft." Spathe l-3in. long, pale-pink, 



