30 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
cm. long, 3-7 5 cm. broad, lateral divisions separated by a 
narrow sinus from tlie i n termed i: te, broad-trapezoid, 2 5- 7 '5 cm. 
long, very unequally 2-3-partite to f §, all the divisions much 
inciso-dentute or laciuiate, with acute dentate lacinise. Inflo- 
rescence stiff, racemose or often panicled, narrow, many-flowered, 
dense, rarely 1 >ose and subfle.xuous, more or less tomentose, 
with spreading or deflexed hairs ; lower bracts like the preced- 
ing leaves, but smaller, more elongate and less dissected, 
longer than the pedicels, intermediate and upper lanceolate or 
oblong, sparingly dentate or entire, often over 2 cm. long, 
pedicels erect, rather stout, lower over 2-5 cm. long, upper 
much shorter; biacteoles, if any, herbaceous, rather broad and 
dentate, or narrow and entire to very narrow. Sepals of a 
saturated blue, more raiely pale or purplish blue, more or less 
pubescent to almost tomentose; uppermost helnr.et-shaped, 
helmet erect or slightly oblique, depressed, semi-orbicular in 
profile, almost equally curved in front and on the back, 
20-24 mm. high, 20-24 mm. from the tip to the base, 12-15 mm. 
wide, produced into a very short beak, claw very short and 
broad; lateral sepals oblique, suboi bicular, 12-18 mm. long, 
obscurely clawed ; lower horizontal or deflexed, oblong, obtuse, 
8-12 mm. long. Nectaries glabrous or scantily hispidulous, 
claw slightly curved or straight, 10-12, rarely 14 mm. long, 
hood much leaning forward or sub-horizontal, dorsally gibbous 
or almost spurred on the top, 6-8 mm. long, lip usually short, 
broad emarginate. Filaments glabrous or sparingly hispidulous 
in upper part, 7-8 mm. long, winged to or beyond the middle, 
wings gradually running out or suddenly contracted into 
small teeth. Carpels 5, oblong or ovoid, contracted into the 
slightly shorter style, densely tomentose. Follicles 5, oblong, 
somewhat turgid, contiguous, about 10 mm. long., 4-4 5 mm. 
broad, hairy. Seeds obpyramidal, about 4 mm. long, winged 
along the rhaphe, with undulate hyaline transverse lamellae on 
on the faces. 
Properties and uses This species is the principal source of 
the Bikh or Bisk of the Calcutta market. An account of the mode 
of collecting the root in Sikkim may be found in Kanny Lai 
Dey s work ou the ‘ Indigenous Drugs of India, (1896), where it 
