1837.] Notes on the Drugs called Mishme T eeta and Pacha Pat. 351 



The Pucha. Pat plant is evidently of the family of Labiatae. It forms a 

 shrub (in the Botanical Garden) of two to three feet in height. The ob«. 

 tusely four-cornered branches and the leaves are juicy,. ?nd somewhat 

 fleshy, and covered, especially the inferior surface of the latter, with a 

 great deal of soft, pallid pubescence, which gives the plant a greyish ap- 

 pearance. All the young parts are densely villous. The leaves are op- 

 posite, petioled, ovate, obtuse, grossly and obtusely lobato-crenate, mea- 

 suring from two to four inches; the lowermost on the branches are 

 subcordate, all the others are cuneate, and entire at the base ; the up- 

 per surface slightly rugose; under surface pallid, with very thick rib 

 and nerves, and largely reticulated veins. 



None of the individuals in this garden have hitherto shown any dis- 

 position to blossom; owing perhaps to the plant being so easily mul- 

 tiplied by division. All the green parts, on being rubbed, emit the pe- 

 culiar smell of the drug sold under the name of Pucha Pat, which is also 

 very like our shrub in the form, margins, and surface of the leaves. 



I should have mentioned above, that the Baron Hiigel informs me, 

 that he has found a plant growing wild at Canton, which closely resem- 

 bles that from Penang cultivated in this garden. 



Whether Marrubium odoratissimum Betonicce folio, J. Burm. The. 

 saur. Zeylan. p. 153, tab. 71, fig. 1, {Marrubium Indicum, N. L. Bur- 

 man, Flor. Ind. p. 127), be our plant or not, it is difficult to say ; but 

 it strikes me that there is at least a considerable affinity between, 

 them. 



H, C> Botanic Garden, 6th June, 1835. 



Note mi the Medicinal Properties of the root of the Mishme Teeta.— 

 By W. Twining, Esq. 



The powder of this root is of an intensely bitter taste, which is ac- 

 companied with a slight degree of a peculiar aroma. The sensation 

 produced in the mouth subsides but slowly, and is more pleasant than 

 any simple bitter. Judging from the taste, it does not possess much 

 astringency ; and this opinion is confirmed, by finding that neither the 

 tincture nor the infusion is much affected by the solution of sulphate of 

 iron. Pour hundred and eighty grains of the root, when coarsely pow- 

 dered, and macerated in proof spirit for five days, were found to have 

 lost 180 grains. The residue of the above tincture, when dried, 

 amounting to 300 grains, was macerated for 30 hours in distilled water, 

 and only 26 grains were found soluble in water; as the residuum, when 

 dried, weighed 174 grains. The maceration in water was not continued 

 longer than 30 hours, because fermentation had commenced, the wea- 

 ther being very hot at the latter end of May. 



