14 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
20 — 24 mm. high, 17 — 20 mm. from tip to base, 7 —9 mm. wide ; 
lateral sepals slightly contiguous with the helmet, oblique, 
orbicular-obovate, broadly clawed, 16 mm. long, 14 mm. broad ; 
lower sepals deflexed, oblong subacute, 10 mm. long. "Sectaries 
glabrous ; claw erect ; hood oblique to subhorizontal, oblong, 
gibbous on the back ; lip deflexed, lanceolate, acute, entire. 
Filaments glabrous, about 7 mm. long, Darrowly winged, wings 
gradually alternate. Carpels 5, conniving and contiguous, tomen- 
tose, gradually passing into the style. Follicles oblong, obli- 
quely subtruncate, 15 — 20 mm. long, 4-5 mm. broad, dorsally 
sub-convex, loosely tomentose or at length almost glabrous, 
conspicuously reticulate. Seeds obovoid or obpyramidal, 2 6— 3 
mm. long, winged along the raphe, transversely lamellate on the 
faces, lamellae undulate. 
Habitat : — Alpine Himalaya of Nepal. 
Part used 1 The root. 
Uses : — This drug is officinal in both the British and Indian 
Pharmacopoeias- 
Extremely poisonous as the name indicates. It is very 
probably, says Stapf, the source or one of the sources of the 
“ Bish Bikli” or “ Hodoya Bish” of Hamilton. 
“ A few years ago I took the white variety, Bachndg, myself 
in small quantities, and found ' that its internal use is not 
attended with more danger than that of the European aconite 
root (Aconitum Napellus''. Since that period, 1 have employed 
it very extensively in my practice, and do not hesitate in saying 
that it is one of the most useful medicines in India. Its bene- 
ficial influence over diabetes is very remarkable, the immoderate 
flow of urine beginning to diminish from the very day of its 
use, with a proportionate decrease in the saccharine matter. Its 
control over spermatorrhoea and incontinence of urine is equally 
great. It has lately been found useful in some cases of paralysis 
and leprosy. The advantages of this drug over all other 
varieties of the Indian aconite root are that it is not only much 
milder, but also more certain and uniform in its actions.” 
(Mohideen Sheriff). 
