N. 0. COMPOSITE. 
701 
Habitat : — Throughout the mountainous districts of India; 
on the west Himalaya, Khasia Hills, Manipur ; mt. Aboo, in 
Marwar, and the Western Ghats. 
A tall aromatic shrub-like herb, 2-8 ft. high, hoary pubescent 
or tomentose. Stems leafy paniculately branched. Lower leaves 
petioled, 2-4 in. long, ovate in outline, 1-2 pinnatisect, with 
stipule-like lobes at the base, more or less pubescent above, 
ashy-grey or white tomentose beneath ; upper leaves often 
sessile, linear-lanceolate, entire or 3-fid. Heads sessile or shortly 
pedicelled, ovoid or subglobose, arranged in sub-secund spike- 
like suberect or horizontal panicled racemes, brownish-yellow. 
Invol bracts woolly or glabrate ; outer small, herbaceous, inner 
mostly scaricus. Outer fern, flowers very slender ; inner 
hermaphrodite flowers fertile. Achenes minute. The Debra 
Dun plant' belongs to the form known as A. indica, which 
has the lower surface of the leaves of an ashy-grey colour. 
(I)uthie 
Uses : — The Hindus consider it to be a valuable stomachic, 
deobstruent, and antispasmodic ; they prescribe it in infusion and 
electuary, in Cases of obstructed menses and hysteria. Extern 
ally, it is used in fomentations, given in skin diseases and foul 
ulcers as an alterative (Dutt). 
Used as a tonic, anthelmintic, antispasmodic and expectorant, 
in diseases of children. Expressed juice is applied by native 
practitioners to the head of young children, for the prevention 
of convulsions (Watt’s Dictionary, Vol. I). 
“ Used by the natives in asthma and diseases of the brain 
also” (London Exhibition). 
Bellew states that in Afghanistan and throughout India, a 
strong decoction is given as a vermifuge, and a weak one to 
children in measles. An infusion is given as a tonic. 
“ The strong aromatic odor and bitter taste of this plant 
indicate stomachic and tonic properties. Dr. Wight states that 
the leaves and tops are administered in nervous and spasmodic 
affections connected with debility, and also that an infusion of 
them is used as a fomentation in phagedenic ulceration. Dr. L. 
