Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/748

668 middle, slightly hirsute on the knots. Leaves opposite, stipulate, somewhat fleshy, lower ones quite entire, ovate bluntly acuminated, long-petioled, radical ones often emarginate at the base ; uppermost or small pair somewhat sessile, narrow oblong, entire or toothed along the margin. Corymb terminal, trichotomous, panicled, with a pair of foliaceous bracts, similar to the uppermost leaves subtending the principal branches, C. B. Clarke describes this plant in Hooker's F. B. L, Vol III, p. 214, as a variety of V. Leschenaultii, D.C., and says that the cauline leaves are small, undivided or hardly any, fruit glabrous. Clarke further observes thus : — The scapose form has sometimes hairy fruits and Wight has been unable in his own herbarium to settle what he would call V. Leschenaultii and what V. Brunoniana.

Use : — It affords a root which develops a strong odour of valeric acid when dry, and yields to distillation with water a considerable amount of volatile oil. Dr. G. Bidie has recommended it as a good substitute for European Valerian (Pharmacographia Indica II p. 240.)

 

Vern. : — Bekh ahmar (H.)

Habitat : — Western Himalaya, from Kashmir to Kumaon.

Glabrous or softly pubescent herbs. Stems tall, 1½-4ft. Leaves 6 by lin., sessile, up to 9in., doubtly spinous-toothed hard, pubescent or glabrous. Flowers in axillary clusters ; white or faintly tinged with pink. Spikes elongate. Bracts free or nearly so, and involucels hairy or villous. Calyx-lobes subequal, obovate, oblong, entire or emarginate. 1/6-⅓in., by ⅛-¼in. Corolla-tube 1-1½in. Stamens 2 perfect, 2 rudimentary. Filaments longer that the Corolla-lobes. Stigma broad, disk-like. Achenes free within the involucel. In Kerner's Natural History of Plants 11,352. Oliver's English Translation, 1895, London, the flower of Morina persica is cited as instance of Autogamy " by 