414 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
is felt. Occasionally some small vesicles or pimples appear ; 
and if these be allowed to remain undisturbed they dry up, 
leaving a dark spot of pigmentary matter, which forms as it 
were a nucleus. From this point, as well as from the margin 
of the patch, pigmentary matters gradually develop which ulti- 
mately coalesce with each other, and thus the whole patch 
disappears. It is also remarkable that fresh patches are arrest- 
ed by its application (Ph. J., Sept. 24th, 1881). Extensively 
tried in Bombay by Bhao Daji and others as a remedy in leprosy, 
and, I believe, with some success. Several species of Psoralea 
have been used medicinally in America, and have been found 
to act as gently stimulating and tonic nervines. Tried in 
leprosy with a certain amount of success (Dymock.) 
The seeds yield 20'15 per cent, of a thick, reddish-brown oil to ether. 
Pat : Specific gravity at 100°, 0'9 107 ; acid value, 3918 ; saponification value, 
204 6 ; Reichert-MeissI value, 6 9 ; iodine value, 79'9 ; unsaponificable, 173 ; 
butyro-refractometer at 25°, 79'5°. 
Fatty acids (insoluble) : per cent 88'3 ; melting point, 32 8 ; iodine value, 
83'06 ; neutralisation value, 192 4 ; mean molecular weight, 291 - 5. (A. K. Menon.) 
{Agricultural Ledger 1911-12 — No. 5, p. 139.) 
359 . Colutea arborescens, Linn. Var Nepalensis, 
H.F.B.I., II. 103 . 
Vern . : — Braa (Ladak). 
Eng. : — The Bladder Senna. 
Habitat : — Arid valleys of the inner Himalayas. 
A sub-glabrous shrub, 6-10 feet high, unarmed. Leaves 
imparipinnate ; leaflets 9-13, obovate, pale green, |-|- in. 
long, often emarginate, obscurely silky in the young state. 
Racemes as large as the leaves, axillary, laxly 3-4-flowered. 
Flowers yellow, showy. Calyx 5 -lin. Corolla § inch long; 
standard furnished at the base with two nipple-shaped papillae. 
Pod 2 - 2 in. long, faintly downy when young, splitting at tip 
before ripening. 
Use : — The leaves of this plant are purgative, and are used 
to adulterate officinal senna. (U. S Dispensatory). 
