360 
USEFUL PLANTS OF THE DISTRICT OF LAKHIMPUR. 
V. PALMAE. 
Several palms are common throughout the district such as Cocos 
nncifera L. “ Cocoanut palm,” nariyal ; Borrassus fiabellifer L. 
u Palmyra Palm,” tar ; and Phoenix sylvestris Roxb. “ Wild Date,” 
khajur . The uses of these palms are well known. 
Caryota urens L. seems worthy of special notice. 
16. Caryota Linn. 
17. C. urens Linn. P. B. I. vi, 422 ; Eng. & Prantl ii, 3, 54 ; 
Beng. PI. 1093 ; D. E. P. ii, 206. 
Local name. — Siwa. “Maiden-hair or Fish-tail Palm.” 
Distrib. — Throughout India from the Sikkim Himalaya and Assam 
southwards to Ceylon, also in Singapore, Malaya, and Tropical Asia. 
The maiden-hair or fish-tail palm. The names allude to the form of the leaf. A beautiful 
palm with a tall smooth stem and much divided leaves whose ultimate segments are wedge- 
shaped. It is particularly common near Sadiya. There are two good specimens in front of 
the Dibrugarh Club. The stem is full of bulky edible pith. The outside of the stem 
furnishes good wood useful for spear shafts, plough shafts or lattis. The young parts are 
eaten as a vegetable and are good ( teste Dundas) . About thf base of the leaf is much fibre 
which the Miris use for tinder. 
¥1. ARACEAE. 
17. PotllOS Linn. 
18. P. Sp., may be P. Catlicarti Schott. P. B. I. vi, 552. 
Dibrugarh. No. 135. 
Local name. — Hathi denkiya. 
A cl'mber with curious leaves each consisting of a blade-like stalk ending in two blujit 
lobes from between which the lance shaped leaf blade arises. It is commonly seen on trees 
in the forests. The leaves are fried in ghee and eaten to cure various pains. 
18. Acorns Linn. 
10. A. Calamus Linn. F. B. Lyi, 555 ; Eng. & Prantl ii, 3, 118 ; 
D. E. P. i, 99 ; Pharmacog. Ind. iii, 539. 
Saikhoa. No. 321. 
Local name. — Bach. Ci Sweet Flag.” 
Distrib. — Throughout India and Ceylon, wild and cultivated, ascend- 
ing to 6,000 ft. Europe, N. Asia and N. America. 
A herb with sweet scented, grass-like leaves. It usually grows in damp, grassy places 
near villages and is particularly common in the neighbourhood of Sadiya. It is used 
f-"* fevers, but it is said to benefit only those which have been caused by ghosts. Pieces of 
tne rootstock which is the most aromatic part of the plant, are tied round the neck to keep 
away evil spirits. At Saikhoa we were told that the plant was used for inflammations. 
Plants looked upon with sun- rstitions reverence usually have medicinal properties. For # 
an account of the active principles of this plant see Pharmacog. Ind. ( loc . jit.) 
