534 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
The juice is used externally in bruises and burns, also to' 
cure superficial ulcers. As a styptic it is used on fresh cuts 
and abrasions (Thornton in Watt’s Dictionary). 
Malic acid from Oassuiacece.— The acid was prepared chiefly from 
Echeveria secunda glauca and Sedum purpuresceus (Bryophyllum calycinum 
yields more, namely, about 0 23 per cent, of the leaves, but is less easily 
obtainable) by extraction with boiling water, precipitation of the lead salt 
and decomposition of this with hydrogen sulphide. The residue left on eva- 
poration of the aqueous solution, when dried at 110° until constant in weight, 
has the composition C 8 H 3 G s ; it represents an anhydride of the acid, for the 
salts prepared from it are derived from a dibasic acid, C 4 H s 0 5 . The calcium 
hydrogen salt is usually amorphous, but was once obtained in regular oetahedra 
with 6 Hj O; the corresponding salt of ordinary malic acid crystallises in 
rhombic oetahedra. The barium salt is anhydrous, whereas ordinary barium 
malate crystallises with 1H, O. The silver salt is anhydrous, whereas 
ordinary silver malate contains 5 H 2 O. The lead salt crystallises with 3 H 2 O. 
No ammonium hydrogen salt could be prepared, whereas ordinary malic acid 
forms a well crystallised salt of this composition. The dimethylic salt was 
prepared from the anhydride and methylic alcohol by Anschiitz's method ; it 
distils at 162" under 25m m. pressure : after this has passed over, a second 
product was obtained, to which reference will be made later.— J. Ch. S. 1898 
A.I., p. 513 et seq. 
N. 0. DROSERACEiE. 
485. Drosera peltata, Sm. h.f.b.i., i. 424. 
Vern. Mukha-jali (H.); Chitra (Pb.) 
Habitat : — Throughout India. 
A perennial herb. Stem erect, leafy, 3-12in. high, simple 
or corymbose upward. Leaves alternate, long-petioled , lunate- 
pflltate. . Racemes subterminal. Pedicels 1-Jin. long. Flowers 
white, sepals ovate, glabrous, erose or fimbriate. Styles 3, fim 
briate. Seeds obovoid. Testa prominently reticuluted. 
Part used : — The leaf. 
Use : — The leaves of this curious and insectivorous plant, 
bruised and mixed with salt, are used as a blister in Kumaon. 
This same practice prevails, however, in Kandwar, without the 
use of salt. All the members of this family have a bitter, acrid 
and caustic flavor. If placed in milk they rapidly curdle it 
(Watt). 
