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PHARMA COGNOSY. 
dark green, nearly glabrous ; under surface slightly 
pubescent; petiole wanting in the simple leaves and 
about 5 mm. long in the compound leaves, pubescent. 
Odor peculiar. Taste bitter. 
Constituents. — A volatile liquid alkaloid sparteine, 
forming crystalline salts, the sulphate of which has 
physiological properties similar to digitalin ; a crystal- 
line principle scoparin ; volatile oil; tannin; ash about 
5 per cent. 
CHI RATA. 
The entire plant of Suiertia Chirata (Fam. Gentia- 
nacere), an annual herb indigenous to the mountains 
of Northern India. The plants are collected after the 
capsules are fully formed, dried and made into bun- 
dles. 
Description. — Usually in flat bundles tied with a 
strip of bamboo and about 1 M. long, 15 cm. wide 
and 7 cm. thick. Root simple, tapering, about 7 mm. 
thick near the crown; externally yellowish brown, 
wrinkled, with few rootlets; internally, bark whitish, 
about 2 mm. thick, wood yellow, porous, radiate. 
Stem cylindrical, flattened, quadrangular above, each 
angle with a decurrent wing, about 1 M. long, 4 to 6 
mm. thick, yellowish or purplish brown, longitudinally 
wrinkled, internodes 3 to 8 cm. long; internally, bark 
yellowish brown, very thin, easily separable, wood yel- 
lowish, slightly porous, radiate, 0'5 to 1 mm. thick, 
pith lemon-yellow, 2 to 3 mm. in diameter, easily 
separable from the wood, sometimes wanting. Leaves 
opposite, ovate-lanceolate, about 6 cm. long, 2'5 cm. 
in diameter; apex acuminate; base somewhat amplex- 
icaul; margin entire; upper and undersurfaces brown- 
ish green, midrib prominent and wilh three to seven 
parallel lateral veins. Inflorescence a large panicle; 
flowers numerous, regular ; calyx about 4 mm. long and 
