Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/798

718 value, 129.8 to 149.93 ; Reichert-Meissl value, 0-0 ; refraction at 40°, 65.2 ; acid value, 0.76 to 20.02; optical activity in 200 m.m. tube + 4' to + 14' ; fatty acids, per cent. 95.4 ; solidifying point, 16°; neutralisation value, 199.

The saturated fatty acids contained in this oil consist of palmitic and stearic acids. Le Sueur found the liquid fatty acids to be oleic and linolic acids. Tylaikoff confirms the presence of oleic and linolic and linolenic acids. Lewkowitsch determined the amount of unsaponifiable matter in several samples to be 1.5 per cent., and the true acetyl value he found to be 16.1, 12.85 and 12.78. (Agricultural Ledger 1911-12— No. 5).

Vern.: — Navananji-châ-pâlá (Bel gaum).

Habitat: — North-West India ; Dhoulpoor ; Scind ; Western Peninsula ; from the Concan southwards, in gravelly places.

An erect annual, 10-18in. high, much branched, clothed with white cottony wool ; branches terete. Leaves sessile, linear or linear ovate, obtuse or acute, quite entire, l-3in., glabrate or cottony above, nerves obscure. Heads many, subaxillary, glabrous. Spines of involucre-bracts yellowish, shining. Bracts ½-⅔in. subulate, straight, glabrous. Corolla ¼in., outer pappus elastic, shining, bristles slender, inner ¼in. long, narrowly subulate, lanceolate, pale-brown, strongly ribbed, membranous and hyaline, margins undulate. Achenes broad and short, ⅛in. long, turbinate, densely silky.

Use :— The herb is strongly bitter, and is used in the neighbourhood of Belgaum as a febrifuge, especially in the febrile attacks to which women are subject after childbirth (Peters).

Vern.: — Kâsni (H.) ; Kashini-virai (Tam.) ; Kásini-vittulu (Tel.) ; Hand, gul, suchal, kásni (Pb.) ; Kásani (Guz.).

Habitat : — North-West India; Kumaun.

Perennial herbs. Root fleshy, tapering. Stems and leaf nerves beneath hispid. Stem l-3ft, angled and grooved. Branches rigid, spreading. Leaves runcinate, oblong-lanceolate, upper cordate, amplexicaul. Heads 1-1½in. diam. solitary and terminal and axillary, clustered. Peduncle thickened in the middle.