employed in this country for the destruction of Tigers, &c.* The Goorkahs endeavoured to
protect their country against foreign invasion by poisoning the wells with it, and at one time
the Konds were supposed to have had recourse to similar means to protect their country against
the British troops. The plant used by the latter for this purpose, is still unknown, though it
appears, from the statement of a Medical Officer employed in the first campaign, that the
attempt was at first attended with partial success, in as much as several men were suddenly
taken ill, who had partaken of the water of a well adjoining their camp, in which, on being
dragged, a quantity of an unknown, and supposed poisonous root, considerably decayed, was
found. The poisonous plant so employed in that part of the country is still unknown; but I
dare say might on inquiry be ascertained.
While thus abounding with acrid and poisonous plants, the order includes a few of a
different complexion. Several of its species are regarded as simply astringent: the seeds
of Nigella, are pungent like pepper, and are employed in some parts of Europe as such, under
the name of Allspice; (not the true English Allspice* which is derived from a very different
source) and all the species of Coptis, are simply bitter and tonic. The Mishme teeta of
Assam, Coptis teeta Wall, is in high repute among the Assamese, the taste of which is described
by Wallich “ as intensely and purely bitter, very lasting, and with only a very slight
aroma.” This plant has been introduced into the Calcutta botanic garden, and at the time the
account was written,.promised to survive the great change of climate.
To devote more space to an exposition of the properties of extra-Indian species of an
order so little known in Southern India, would, it appears to me, be out of place in a work,
principally devoted to the botany of these regions, I shall therefore conclude my remarks
regarding it, with a few observations on some of the genera and species, of this portion of India.
O bservations. The number of genera yet found in the Southern provinces of India and
Ceylon, amount, so far as I know, to only seven; and of these I feel inclined to consider
Adonis a doubtful native. The number of species with which I am acquainted now extends,
for both countries, to 16, two new ones having been added to Clematis, and one to Ranunculus,
since the publication of myProdromus. The former are readily distinguished from the previously
described, Peninsular, species, by their flowers being fewer and larger sifced than those of any
of the preceding ones, while in both, the leaves are temate and simple, in place of pinnate as
in them. In addition to these I possess -specimens of a third form, but not in flower, closely
allied, to C. Wightiana, but so far as my imperfect specimens, of both species, enable mè
"to judge, distinct.
* Dr. Wallich (Plant Asta Rar) states, on the authority o f Henry Colëbrooke, Esq. that the Bikh is em;
ployed in the northern part of Hindoostan For destroying Tigers, but in a way different from that here recommended.
“ Arrows poisoned with that drug are shot from bows fixed near the tracks leading to their watering
places, and it generally appears that the animal is found dead at the latter.” The following extract from Mr.
Hoyle’s Illustrations, &c. embraces in a condensed form nearly all the information we possess respecting its
„properties and uses.
In all the native works, the Bikh is represented as being a-deadly poison, even in the smallest doses. The
Hindoo works quoted by Dr. Hunter, describe it as being at first sweetish (hence the affix rneetha, sweet), and
then followed by a roughness on the tongue, or-as it is expressed in one work, “ seizing the throat.” Dr,
Buchanan has informed us, that it is equally fatal when taken into the stomach, and when applied to wounds :
hence used for poisoning arrows and-killing wild animals. The futility of the Gorkhas attempting to poison the
springs of water was shown in the last campaign, and Dr. Govan has proved the improbability of deleterious
exhalations from this plant being the cause of the unpleasant sensations experienced at great elevations, inasmuch
as it is only found much below where these are experienced. But as it is a root of such virulent powers,
it has no doubt been frequently employed as a poison, and its sale was therefore prohibited by the native powers
in India. Notwithstanding this, the Hindoo physicians, noted for the employment o f powerful drugs such as
arsenic, nux vomica, and croton, do not hesitate to. employ this also in medicine. In the Talèef-Shereef it is
directed never to be given alone; but mixed with several other drugs, it is recommended in a variety of diseases,
as cholera, intermittent fever, rheumatism, tooth-ache, and bites o f snakes. It is also used as an external
application in rheumatism in the north-western provinces. Mr. Pereira’s experiments have shown that this
root, either in the form of powder, watéry extract, or spirituous extract, is a most virulent poison: but of these
forms the last is by far the most powerful. “ The effects were tried by introducing this extract into the jugular
“ vein, by placing it in the cavity of the peritoneum, by applying it to the cellular tissue of the back, and by
,{ introducing it into the stomach. In all these cases, except the last, the effects were very similar; namely,
“ difficulty o f breathing, weakness, and subsequently paralysis, which generallv commenced in the posterior
“ extremities, vertigoes, convulsions, dilatation of the pupil, and death, apparently from asphyxia.” .(v. Wall.
PL Asiat. Rar. loc. cit.)
In the genus Ranunculus, the examination of Ceylon specimens of what appears to be
the true R. pinnatus of Poir, has, since the publication of our Prodromus, led both Dr. Arnott
and mvself to the conclusion, that our R. Wallichianus can scarcely be kept distinct from that
sDecies In addition to R. pinnatus, Ceylon possesses one so closely allied to R. renijonms,
that it'is only distinguishable by the member of its petals, that in the former being usually 5 ,
while I t the latter it is from 10 to 15, unless in those instances where they appear fewer from
the union among themselves, of petals ; several instances of which I have observed. I he
etals of the Ceylon plant, are however much larger than those of the continental one, hence we
might almost infer the smaller number, which is the only good distinguishing mark between
them originates in the one case, from the constant union of adjoining pairs of petals similar to
what I have observed to occur partially in the other, a view, which, is supported by the fact,
that the continental plant has sometimes, though rarely, the number of its petals augmented
from 10 to 15, or in the proportion of three to each sepal; perhaps, the normal form, thus
showing in the frequent diminution of the number of its petals to 10, a similar tendency to
union S h o u ld further acquaintance with these plants show a similar tendency to multiplication
of petals, in the Ceylon one, and a still further disposition in ours to reduction, these two
m u s t ultimately be united, though for the present, it is my intention to keep them distinct.
C lematis.
1. C. Munroiana (R. W.) Climbing: glabrous, except
1he calyx: .leaves ternate, long petioled; leaflets
broadly ovate, acuminated, rounded, or slightly cordate
at the base, 5 to 7 nerved, quite entire : peduncles
shorter than the leaves, 3, rarely i flowered, from
the axils of simple, ovate, or ovate-lanciolate; floral
leaves, and bearing two lanciolate bracts below the
middles sepals lanciolate, expanding, or revolute; stamens
equalling the sepals: styles long plumose.
Moist woods, NeelgherrieSy and Piilney mountains,
flowering, in September.
I have much pleasure in dedicating this very fine
species to Lieutenant Munro, H. M. 39th Foot, the
talented Secretary to the Mysore- Horticultural Society,
an enthusiastic and promising botanist, who
found it on the Neelgherries about the same time
that I did on the Pulney mountains.— Plate N o. 1.
An extensively climbing shrub, every where glabrous,
except the exterior surfaces of the sepals, which
are clothed with brownish hairs. Leaves long petioled,
3 foliolate, pedicels of the leaflets long, arid cirriform ;
leaflets, broadly ovate, oblong, rounded, or sub-cordate
at the base, acute, or somewhat acuminated at the
point, usually 7, rarely 5, nerved at the base, quite entire
; floral leaveâ’, in every respect like the leaflets,
except, that they are smaller and short petioled. Peduncles
solitary, from the axils of, and longer thau
. these foliaciohs bracts, 3 flowered, and furnished below
the middle with two opposite, lanciolate bracts.
Flowers large, white ; 'flower buds, ovate, oblong. Sepals
4, lanciolate, spreading or revolute, about an inch
long, white within, clothed, externally, with rusty brown
shag. Stamens numerous in several sériés, the exterior
filaments, compressed, equalling the sepals ; anthers
small, pointed. Pistils numerous, ovary hairy ;
styles long, feathery ; stigma pointed. Fruit not seen.
2. C. affinis (R. W.) Climbing : glabrous, except the
sepals: leaves 3 foliolate, leaflets acutely toothed,
ovate, serrated, acuminated, 7 nerved ; peduncles one
flowered, from the axils of simple foliaceous bracts :
flowers drooping, sepals ovate, acuminated, twice the
length of the stamens, •
Shevagerry mountains in woods, flowering in August.
This species is 1 fear too nearly allied to the former,
from which I have been induced to separate it, on account
of its serrated leaves, constantly one flowered
peduncles, its much smaller flowers, (about half the
size) and lastly, on account of the great disproportion
between the relative length of its stamens and pistils,
and sepals.
The third form alluded to above as so nearly allied
to C. Wightiana differs in the following respects. In
C. Wightiana the leaves are pinnate, consisting of one
pair of leaflets* and an odd one, in this there are two
pairs; in that, each leaflet is deeply 3 parted, or divided
into three distinct, short pedicelled, secondary
leaflets ; in this, they are all entire, or but slightly
3 lobed :: but in both, they are coarsely serrated, cordate
at the base, and very villous on both sides: the
flowers I have not seen, and suspect the differences
noted depend on variations in the form of the leaves
on different parts of the same plant, a point, which E
hope some of the residents on the Neelgherries, where
I believe it grows, will enable me to clear up.
T halictrum.
3. T. glyphocarpum (W . and A.) This species originally
from the Neelgherries, is now ascertained to be a native
of the higher parts of Ceylon, where it has been
found by both Colonel Walker and myself.
R anunculus.
4. R.reni/ormis (Wall.) Erect, hairy: radical leaves
roundish ovate, reniform, or reniform cordate at the
base, coarsely serrated; lowest scape leaf oblong,
toothed, narrowed at the base into a petiol; upper
ones nearly linear: petals numerous, 10—13, twice as
long as the patulous calyx: heads of fruit globose:
achenia oblong, tumid, minutely dotted : style nearly
straight.
Neelgherries and Pulney mountains, flourishing in
September and October.
I have modified, .a little, the character of this spe-
• cies to bring, in the form here figured.—Plate No. 2.
5; R. has talus (Walker’s MSS:)- Erect, glabrous, except
the petiols of the radical leaves: radical leaves, reniform
cordate, or deeply reniform hastate at the base,
lobes broad, roundish, coarsely serrated; scape leaves,
lanciolate, toothed, attenuated at the base into a broad