high esteem as a remedy in a great variety of disorders; it is considered to be suppurative and slightly astringent, and is much used as a plaster to dispel humours and cold swellings. It is described in all Muhammadan works as Iklil-el-malik (Dymock). M. officinalis was considered by the Greeks, and is still supposed in parts of India, to possess similar properties, but it has little therapeutic value, and is not now employed in European medicine. Fodder.-In Europe and Western Asia the PLANT is cultivated as a food for cattle. Melilotus parviflora, Desf.; Fl. Br. Ind., II., 89. Syn.-M. INDICA, All.; M. MINIMA, Roth.; TRIFOLIUM INDICUM, Linn. References.-Roxb., Fl. Ind., Ed. C.B.C., 588; Stewart, Pb. Pl., 72; U. C. Habitat. A slender herb met with in the Bombay Presidency, Bengal, North-West Provinces, and the Panjáb. Cultivated, or found as a cold season weed of cultivation. Medicine. The SEEDS like those of M. officinalis are supposed to be MELOCANNA, Trin.; Gen. Pl., III., 1214. A genus of Bamboo of the sub-tribe MELOCANNEÆ (see Vol. I., 370-389). [GRAMINEE. Melocanna bambusoides, Trin.; Kurz, For. Fl. Burm., II., 569; Syn.-BAMBUSA BACCIFERA, Roxb. Vern.—Múli, metunga, bish, BENG.; Kayoung-wa, Magh. References.-Roxb., Fl. Ind., Ed. C.B.C., 305; Gamble, Man. Ind. Habitat.-A tall bamboo with stems from 50 to 70 feet long and from 12 to 13 inches in girth, found in Eastern Bengal, Chittagong, Arracan, and Tenasserim. It is the common gregarious bamboo of the Chittagong hills. Food.-The FRUIT is large, pear-shaped, 3 to 5 inches long; edible. Structure of the Wood. Of good quality, durable, straight, with straight knots; very largely cut and exported for house-building, mat-making and other purposes (Gamble). For an account of the general uses of the bamboo, see Vol. I., 378-389. Domestic." It yields more or less tabashir of a siliceous crystallisation; sometimes it is said the cavity between the joints is nearly filled with this, which the people call chúna, lime" (Roxb.). See Vol. I., 383. MELOCHIA, Linn.; Gen. Pl. I., 223. Melochia corchorifolia, Linn.; Fl. Br. Ind., I., 374; STERCULIACEÆ. Syn.- M. TRUNCATA, Willd.; M. SUPINA, Linn.; M. AFFINIS, Wall. ; M. FODDER. Plant. 421 422 MEDICINE. 424 425 FOOD. Fruit. 426 TIMBER. 427 DOMESTIC. Tabashir. 428 429 MEMECYLON edule. FIBRE. 430 FOODS Leave 431 FIBRE. 432 Bark. 433 TIMBER. 434 435 FIBRE. 436 Bark. 437 FOOD. Fruit. 438 439 The Iron Wood Tree. Nagpur, 7822; Atkinson, Him. Dist., 305; Gazetteers :-N.-W. P., IV., lxix.; Bomb. XV., 428. Habitat.—An erect branching herb or under-shrub, generally distributed throughout the hotter parts of India, from Kumaon, where it reaches an altitude of 4,000 feet, to Sikkim, Malacca, and Ceylon. Fibre. The stems yield a FIBRE (Campbell). Food.-The Rev. Mr. Campbell states that the LEAVES are eaten as a vegetable by the Santals of Chutia Nágpur. Melochia velutina, Beddome; Fl. Br. Ind. I., 374; Wight, Ic., t. 509. References.-Kurs, For. Fl. Burma, I., 149; Beddome, Fl. Sylv., Anal. Habitat. Á shrub or small tree of the Andaman Islands, Burma, and the Malay Archipelago, widely distributed through the hotter parts of India from the North-West Provinces to the Konkan and Burma. Fibre. A strong fibre, called in the Andamans betina-da, is prepared from the BARK. From this a stout cord is manufactured which is woven into the turtle-net of the Andaman Islands, known as yoto-tépinga-da. Structure of the Wood.-Whitish, very light, even-grained, soft, silvery glossy; good for nothing except perhaps the construction of children's toys (Kurs). MELODINUS, Forst.; Gen. Pl., II., 694. Syn.-ECHALTIUM PISCIDIUM, Wight (Excl. fig. of fruit) ; NERIUM PIS- Vern.-Sadul kou, echalat, SYLHET and KHASIA. References.-Roxb., Fl. Ind., Ed. C.B.C., 244, 259; Royle, Fibr. Pl., 303, Habitat.-A tall, milky climber, of the Sikkim Himálaya, Assam, Sylhet, and the Khásia mountains, ascending to altitudes of 4,000 feet. Fibre. The BARK contains a quantity of fibrous matter, which the natives of Sylhet substitute for hemp. Roxburgh, while steeping some of the young shoots in a fish pond in order to accelerate the removal of the bark and to clean the fibre, found that many if not all the fish were killed, hence the name Nerium piscidium. Like the fibre of many other apocynaceous plants, this is long and tough. Food." The FRUIT is eaten by the natives of Sylhet; the taste of the firm pulp in which the seeds are immersed is sweet and agreeable” (Roxb.). Meloe trianthema; COLEOPTERA; see Vol. IV., 471, also Mylabris, p. 309. MEMECYLON, Linn.; Gen. Pl., I., 773. Memecylon edule, Roxb., Fl. Br. Ind., 11., 563; MELASTOMACEÆ. THE IRON WOOD TREE. The following twelve varieties are included, in the Flora of British India, under this species: : Var. 1, typica,-M. EDULE, Roxb.; M. EDULE var. a, Thwaites, Enum.; The Iron Wood Tree. (F. Murray.) MEMECYLON edule. Var. 2, ramiflora,-M. EDULE, Lamk.; M. SESSILE, Wall., not M. RAMI- Var. 3, capitellata,-M. CAPITELLATUM, Linn. Var. 4, ovata, M. OVATUM, Sm.; M. EDULE var. y, Thwaites; M. TINC- Var. 5, læta,--M. CAPITELLATUM, Thwaites. Var. 6, rubro-cærulea, Sp. in Thwaites, Enum. Cey. Pl. Var. 8, leucantha, Sp. in Thwaites, Enum. Var. 9, scutellata,-M. MYRTIFOLIUM, Wall.; M. OBTUSUM, Wall.; M. PUNCTATUM, Presl.; M. SCUTELLATUM, Naud. Var. 10, Thwaitesii,-M. UMBELLATUM, Thwaites, not of Burmann. Var. 12, molesta. For a description of the botanical characters of these varieties, the reader is referred to the Flora of British India. Vern.-Anjan, anjana, yálki, karpa, ВомB.; Limba, MAR.; Casha- References.-Roxb., Fl. Ind., Ed. C B.C., 325; Kurs, For. Fl. Burm., Habitat.-An exceedingly common plant, met with in the East and South of India and in Ceylon, Tenasserim, and the Andaman Islands. Mr. C. B. Clarke in the Flora of British India states that the first three varieties run completely together, while var. 4 recedes further from the type, and the remaining varieties are called species by most authors. The economic information given below has been chiefly recorded under the species corresponding to var. 1. typica. 66 Dye.-The LEAVES are employed in South India for dyeing a "delicate yellow lake." In conjunction with myrobolans and sappan wood, they produce a deep red tinge much used for dyeing grass mats, and also good for cloth. Samples experimented with by Mr. Wardle gave a yellow colour to wool, eri silk, and bleached Indian tasar with a tin mordant, wool being dyed the deepest colour." Mr. Wardle writes: "They possess scarcely any tannin; on tasar silk without a mordant, they give a nice clear but light brown colour. There is a pretty yellow tinge on the eri silk." In another passage he adds: "This dye-stuff produces good light colours, but would not be of much use in the dye-house, owing to the very small amount of colouring matter it contains." The FLOWERS are employed by Native dyers as an adjunct to chay-root, for bringing out the colour, in preference to alum. By themselves they produce an evanescent yellow. Medicine. The LEAVES are supposed by the Natives to be cooling and astringent, but though occasionally given internally in leucorrhoea and gonorrhoea, they are chiefly employed as a lotion in cases of conjunctivitis. They should be bruised in a mortar and infused with boiling water. Dr. Peters found them in use in Belgaum, as a remedy of considerable 66 DYE. Leaves. 440 Flowers, 44I MEDICINE. 442 MENTHA arvensis. MEDICINE. 443 FOOD. Berries. 444 TIMBER. 445 DOMESTIC. 446 447 OIL. 448 Herb. 449 MEDICINE. 450 The Marsh Mint. reputation, for gonorrhoea. In the Konkan the BARK with equal proportions of cocoanut kernel, ajwan seeds, yellow zedoary and black pepper, is powdered and tied up in a cloth for fomentation or applied as a lép to bruises" (Dymock). Food. The plant flowers in the beginning of the hot weather, and produces astringent, pulpy BERRIES, which, when ripe, are eaten by the Natives. Structure of the Wood.-Hard, close-grained, durable, and valuable for many purposes, but difficult to work. Beddome suggests that it might be employed as a substitute for box. Domestic. The shrub is very handsome when covered with its dense bloom of blue flowers, and is well worth cultivation as an ornamental plant. Memorialis, Ham., see Pouzolzia, Gaus.; URTICACEE.; Vol. VI., Pt. I. MENTHA, Linn.; Gen. Pl., II., 1182. A genus of strongly scented, perennial herbs, which comprises about 25 species, natives of the North Temperate regions. Of these only two are natives of India, but several of the other mints occur in Indian gardens, and as escapes from cultivation are met with on roadsides near water. Mentha arvensis, Linn.; Fl. Br. Ind., IV., 648. LABIATE. Var. javanica, --M. JAVANICA, Blume; M. SATIVA, Roxb.; M. ARVEN- Habitat. A herb of the Western Himálaya, found in Kashmir at altitudes of 5,000 to 10,000 feet. Sir J. D. Hooker in the Flora of British India remarks of var. javanica: "I suspect this is introduced and is M. sativa, L., to which Boissier refers as a synonym to M. arvensis, L." It is frequent in the gardens of Europeans in India, where it grows freely and easily. Oil.-Like most of the other species of this genus, M. arvensis and its variety yield an essential oil similar to that of peppermint, but inferior to it in aroma and quality. Medicine. The dried PLANT is refrigerant, stomachic, diuretic, and stimulant. It is used by the natives as a remedy for jaundice, and is frequently given to stop vomiting. The scent of the fresh herb is said to relieve fainting. Ainslie states that this mint is placed by the Arabians and Persians amongst their malittifát (attenuentia). Fleming observes that it fully possesses the aromatic flavour, as well as the stomachic, antispasmodic and emmenagogue virtues common to most species of the genus. 66 SPECIAL OPINIONS-"Cooling and stomachic. Juice of fresh leaves also applied to relieve headache" (Assistant Surgeon S. C. Bhuttacharji, Chanda, Central Provinces). Useful as a stimulant and carminative' (Assistant Surgeon Nehal Sing, Saharanpore). "A decoction of the leaves is used for stopping vomiting and nausea." (Surgeon A. C. Mukerji, Noakhally) "The cold infusion of the plant is a good carminative for infants" (Assistant Surgeon N. L Ghose, Bankipore). Food.-The LEAVES are eaten, and a chatni prepared from the fresh herb is in use all over Bengal. Domestic. The dried PLANT powdered is used as a dentifrice. Mentha piperita Linn.; D.C. Prodr., XII., 169. PEPPERMINT. References.-Ainslie, Mat. Ind., I., 242; Flück. & Hanb. Pharmacog., Habitat.-An erect, usually glabrous perennial, found cultivated and spontaneous in most temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. Its origin is very doubtful, indeed it is problematical whether it occurs truly wild any where at the present day. In the opinion of Bentham it is possibly a mere variety of M. hirsuta, Zinn., with which it is connected by numerous intermediate forms. It is cultivated on a large scale in England, France, Germany, and North America on account of its oil, and is grown to a small extent in India for culinary purposes. Experiments have been made with a certain amount of success in growing the plant at the Nilghiri Gardens for the purpose of obtaining the oil for the Medical Stores. In 1880-81 a good crop was produced which yielded a small quantity of oil of excellent quality. In 1881-82, the oil was extracted at the Gardens and forwarded to the Medical Stores, where, however, it was unfavourably reported on. In 1882-83 the crop was a failure. Oil.-The HERB yields a volatile strongly aromatic oil, obtained by sundrying cuttings of the plant, a process which increases the yield about 7 per cent., and thereafter distilling them. A wooden still is employed, into which the plants are packed and tramped down with the feet. This is then heated to about 212° Fh. by means of steam, the oil passes over mixed with watery vapour, and on cooling is skimmed off the top of the water. CHARACTERS AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION.-Flückiger & Hanbury write: "The oil is a colourless, pale yellow or greenish liquid, of sp. gr. varying from 0.84 to o'92. We learn from information kindly supplied by Messrs. Schimmel & Co., Leipzig, that the best peppermint grown in Germany carefully dried affords from 1 to 125 per cent. of oil. It has a strong and agreeable odour, with a powerful aromatic taste, followed by a sensation of cold when air is drawn into the mouth. We find that the Mitcham oil examined by polarised light in a column 50 mm. long, deviates from 14°2 to 10°7 to the left, American oil 4°.3.' The oil consists of two substances—one fluid, the other solid; the former has not yet been thoroughly investigated, but according to the learned authors of the Pharmacographia, appears to consist chiefly of the compound C10H180; the latter, which is sometimes deposited from the oil when cooled to-4°C, in the form of colourless hexagonal crystals, is called menthol or peppermint camphor. The proportion of this varies much in different oils, is largely afforded by eastern mints, and is found in commerce in an almost pure state as "Chinese oil of peppermint." Menthol has the taste and odour of peppermint, melts at 42°C, and boils at 212°C. The Chinese oil has sometimes a bitterish after-taste, but by recrystallization acquires the pure flavour. Dymock states that most of the oil of peppermint imported into Bombay is of the sort above described as Chinese oil of peppermint. He believes it to be derived from Mentha canadensis, var. glabrata, an opinion MENTHA piperita. FOOD. Leaves. 451 DOMESTIC. Plant. 452 453 OIL 454 Herb. 455 Characters. 456 |