cm. long, 3-7·5 cm. broad, lateral divisions separated by a narrow sinus from the intermediate, broad-trapezoid, 2·5-7·5 cm. long, very unequally 2-3-partite to 23 - 56, all the divisions much inciso-dentate or laciniate, with acute dentate laciniæ. Inflorescence stiff, racemose or often panicled, narrow, many-flowered, dense, rarely loose and subflexuous, more or less tomentose, with spreading or deflexed hairs; lower bracts like the preceding leaves, but smaller, more elongate and less dissected, longer than the pedicels, intermediate and upper lanceolate or oblong, sparingly dentate or entire, often over 2 cm. long, pedicels erect, rather stout, lower over 2-5 cm. long, upper much shorter; bracteoles, if any, herbaceous, rather broad and dentate, or narrow and entire to very narrow. Sepals of a saturated blue, more rarely pale or purplish blue, more or less pubescent to almost tomentose; uppermost helmet-shaped, helmet erect or slightly oblique, depressed, semi-orbicular in profile, almost equally curved in front and on the back, 20-24 mm. high, 20-24 mm. from the tip to the base, 12-15 mm. wide, produced into a very short beak, claw very short and broad; lateral sepals oblique, suborbicular, 12-18 mm. long, obscurely clawed; lower horizontal or deflexed, oblong, obtuse, 8-12 mm. long. Nectaries glabrous or scantily hispidulous, claw slightly curved or straight, 10-12, rarely 14 mm. long, hood much leaning forward or sub-horizontal, dorsally gibbous or almost spurred on the top, 6-8 mm. long, lip usually short, broad emarginate. Filaments glabrous or sparingly hispidulous in upper part, 7-8 mm. long, winged to or beyond the middle, wings gradually running out or suddenly contracted into small teeth. Carpels 5, oblong or ovoid, contracted into the slightly shorter style, densely tomentose. Follicles 5, oblong, somewhat turgid, contiguous, about 10 mm. long, 4-45 mm. broad, hairy. Seeds obpyramidal, about 4 mm. long, winged along the rhaphe, with undulate hyaline transverse lamellæ on on the faces.
Properties and uses:—This species is the principal source of the Bikh or Bish of the Calcutta market. An account of the mode of collecting the root in Sikkim may be found in Kanny Lal Dey's work on the 'Indigenous Drugs of India, (1896), where it
