MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS. 173 



root equally weak and uncertain in it's opsration, in the tfials which he 

 made of it, in the native hospitaL 



KicoTiANA Tabacum. ( W. ) TamMcu^^^ H. Tdmracutaj S. 



Murray, I. 670. 



WOODVIELE, II. 338. 



Njgella Indica^ (Roxb. MS.) Cdli Jira,^^') H. Musavi, S.. 



Sp. Ch. — Annual. Petals entire. Pistils five: length of the stamina. Leaves 

 decompound. Exterior lip of the nectary ovate, and deeplj two cleft. Interior 

 entire and acute. (Roxr. MS;) 



The seed of this plant is used by the natives more in diet than in medi- 

 cine; and, on account of it's a:greeable flavour and taste, forms the princi- 

 pal condiment in the Curries. The seed of it's congener, the Nigella Sa- 

 liva, is, in like manner, the favourite spice of some nations on the continent 

 of Europe; particularly the Hanoverians, who have given it the name of 

 tout epice. See Murray, III. 34, and'PLENCK, Plant. Med. V. 49, 



OCIMUM PlLOSUM. (RoxB. MS. ) i2i/zi W,- H, 



The seed. Tukhmi Rihdn,(3) IL 



Sp, Ch, — Shrubby. Hairy. Branches four sided'. Leaves ovate, oblong, 

 serrated, with margins and petioles hairy. Bracts petioled, ovate, cordate, 

 ciliate. Upper lip of the calyx round, cordate and hairy; with corol twice it's 

 length. (Roxb. MS.) 



Many species of the Ocimum are common in Bengal, and compre- 

 hended under the generic name of Tiilasi. One of them, the Ckimum 

 Sanctum, (W.) Parnasa, in Sanscrit, is welf known to Be held in' higher 

 veneration, by the Hindus, than any other plant. The leaves of most of 

 'the species have a slightly aromatic taste, and a strong, but not disagree- 

 able smell. 



(') Tmnbakoo. <*) Katajdra. (^) TooKkmi fihaii. 



U u 



