Anhydrous spinach contained, as the mean of three analyses of different samples,—
- Nitrogen ... ... ... ... ... 4.94
- Carbohydrates ... ... .,. ... 37.93
1046. Kochia indica, Wight, H.F.B.I., V. 11.
Syn. : — Panderia pilosa, H. f. and T.
Vern : — Kaura ro, bui (Pb).
Habitat : — North- West India, from Delhi to the Indus common. Dekkan ; salt soils at Coimbatore.
An annual herb, erect and softly villous, diffusely branched from the base. Branch lets divaricate, long. Leaves small, elliptic or linear-oblong, acute. Wings of fruiting perianth short, broadly triangular-ovate, obtuse, thick, nerveless, much shorter than the diameter of the disk. Wight states that flowers are sometimes male only, and I think it probable that fertile males are on different plants from the female or hermaphrodite. (J. D. Hooker.)
Use : — The plant is employed medicinally in the Punjab (Stewart). Used as a vascular (cardiac) stimulant in cases of weak and irregular heart, especially when following on fevers, (Dr Perry, in Watt's Dic.)
1047. Salicornia brachiata, Roxb., h.f.b.i., v. 12. Roxb. 28.
Vern, : — Oomarie Keeray (Tam.) ; Koyalu (Tel.).
Habitat: — Bengal, in salt marshes; and Tanjore.
A semi-shrubby, leafless, fleshy-jointed, seacoast marshy plant. Stem woody, 12-18in., thick at the base, much branched, more or less erect, very much branched. Branches 1/6-¼in. diam. Joints ¼-½in., rather slender, slightly dilated and 2-toothed at top. Spikes 2-3in., slender, cylindrical. Flowers 3-nate. Stamen 1. Utricle ovoid, subacute, style distinct. Seed pale-brown, hispid, with white hair. Testa thinly coriaceous. Embryo hooked, both ends pointing downward.
Use : — This is one of the numerous sources of the alkaline earth, sajji, used in medicine and in the arts. (Watt.)
