Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/703

Rh zerah), raost probably imported ; (2) C. Bulbocastanum, sa- or shah-zerah ; (3) Vernonia anthelmintica, parbat-zerah ; and (4) Nigella sativa, kala-zerah. The sample of black caraway was, however, not pure. Pure parcels were received from Yasin in Gilgit and from Hazara. From Kullu and Bashahr were furnished two qualities called "sira" and " singhu" The latter was stated to be an adulterant. " Zira" proved to be C. Bulbocastanum, and ultimately, through the assistance of Mr. J. H. Lace, then Assistant Inspector- General of Forests, the adulterant was recognised as Bupleurum falcatum. Mr. Lace found the people gathering the seeds in Chamba ; he secured a sample and corresponding botanical specimen, so that his material became an authentic type with which to compare the adulterants of commercial parcels. It was in consequenee found that the Bupleurum was identical with the adulterant sent from most parts of India. Mr. Lace says that Bupleurum is known locally as banchak or bunkok, and that before it is mixed with the carum the fruits are coloured with a decoction of walnut bark. It is sold at 9 seers to the rupee, the true article being very much more expensive— say 3 seers to the rupee. Usually 5 seers of banchak are mixed with one seer of zira. The black caraway and its adulterant are therefore respectively the "zira" and " singhu" mentioned in the Punjab Forest Administration Reports from 1894 — 1900 as obtained from the Kullu forests and sold, the former at Rs. 15 to Rs. 27

Syn. : — Apium involucratum, Rox'j. 273. Ptychotis Roxbur- ghiana, DC.

Sans. : — Ajmoda.

Vern. : — Ajmûdâ, ajmot (H.) ; Ajmudâh, âjmudah-ajvân (Dec); Rândhuni (C. P.) ; Asham, tâgam, ashamtâ-oman (Tam.) ; Ajumoda-voman, ashmadâgâ voman, ajumoda vomaru (Tel.); Ajmûd, rândhuni, chanu (B.) ; Ajmodâ-vovâ, koranza (Mar.); Ajmodâ vomâ (Kan.); Ajmod, bodi-ajamo (Guz.).

Habitat : — Extensively cultivated throughout India.

C. B. Clarke says : — Probably a cultivated form of C. strictocarpum which it exactly resembles, except as to the fruit, which is 1/12-1/10in. the part used by man, and therefore that which has varied under cultivation, This shows a wide differ-