Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/702

622 used as a pectoral, and considered diuretic and anthelmintic. A caraway bath is recommended for painful swelling of the womb, and a poultice for painful and protruding piles. (Dymock).

Used in native practice as lactagogue.

The essential oil distilled from the fruits contains two valuable consti- tuents, iz, Carvone, formerly, Carvol, and carvene or limonene, specific gravity- varies between 0.907 and 0.915.

Vern. : — Siyâh zîra, Kâlâ jîrah (H ) ; Guni yun (Kashmir) ; umbhu (Ladakh)

Habitat : — Kashmir, Beluchistan, Afghanistan, Lahaul, Chamba, eastward to Garhwal and Kumaon, and westward to Quetta.

Perennial, glabrous herbs. Root tuberous. Stem 6-30in. ; erect, branched. Leaves 2-3-pinnate, finally dissected ; ultimate segments of all leaves linear, of the lower often ½-lin., of the upper leaves very narrow. Bracts 0, or several linear, sometimes divided ; bracteoles 0-8 linear. Rays 6-16, 1½in. ; pedicles 10-15. ⅛-½in. ; fruit oblong, not narrowed upwards. ⅛-1/6in. ; yellowish-brown, almost viscid ; carpels exactly oblong, hardly widened at the middle, semi-terete, dorsally sub-compressed ; ridges thin, distinct ; vittæ solitary, rather large.

Use :— - The seeds are used for similar purposes as those of C. Carui.

I found this very useful as a carminative. It is used in Quetta to protect warm clothes and skins against the ravages of insects. B. D. B..

{{smaller|An inquiry instituted by the Reportar On Economic Products in response to a question put by the Indian Chambers of Commerce, resulted in the collection of specimens of zerah (zira) from the chief towns of India as well as of the fruits (seeds) and plants from all known areas of supply. The fruits in every instance were found to be C. Bulboeastanum and not C. Carui (except when stated to be a foreign or imported drug). The examination showed, however, that other seeds are often used as adulterants or substitutes for black caraway. The adulterants were similar in shape, size and markings, but quite destitute of the characteristic aroma. For example, Mr. L. G. Smith, Forest Divisional Officer of Sambulpur, sent four samples from the local bazars which were subsequently identified as (1) the true Caraway {mita}}