tances. The free and combined fatty acids consisted largely of palmitic, oleic, and erucid acids, while the two neutral substances were of phytosterol nature, and gave results on analysis corresponding with the empirical formulæ C31H58O2 and C29H45 and O2 respectively. (J. Ch, I. 31. 5. 1912, p. 501.)
1045. Spinacia oleracea, Linn., h.f.b.l, v. 6.
Syn. :— S. tetrandra, Roxb. 718.
Vern. : — Palak (H.) ; Palang (Beng.) ; Isfanaj Vusaleykiray (Tam.); Dum-pa-bachchali, mattur bachchali (Tel.); Pâlak bhâji (M.).
Habitat : — Cultivated throughout India.
Annual deltoid, ovate, acuminate, acutely broadly pinnatifidly lobed, erecth erbs. Leaves attenuate. Flowers dioecious, ebracteate, males in terminal leafless spikes ; females in axillary clusters. Male : — Sepals 4-5, herbaceous, simple. Stamens 4-5, filaments capillary. Female: — perianth sub. globose, 2-4-toothed. Fruiting perianth free, 2- spinous. Fruiting enclosing the Utricle, coriaceous, unarmed or with 2-3 dorsal spines. Stigmas long, filiform, connate below. Utricle hard, compressed, adnate to the perianth. Seed vertical, testa thin, albumen floury. Embryo annular.
Use : — The seeds are laxative and cooling and useful in difficult breathing, inflammation of the liver, and in jaundice. (Taleef Sherif ). They yield a fatty oil. The green plant is believed to be useful in urinary calculi. (Sakharam Arjun.)
Regarding its chemical composition, the authors of the Pharmacog. Ind. write : —
Chem. comp.— Besides a large quantity of mucilage, spinach contains so large a proportion of nitrates, that the water in which it has been boiled may be used for making touch-paper. The following figures give the mean percentage Composition of three samples of spinach recorded by Konig :—
| Water. | 88.47 |
| Nitrogenous matter | 3.49 |
| Fat | 0.58 |
| Sugar | 0.10 |
| Nitrogen-free extractive | 4.34 |
| fibre | 0.93 |
| Ash | 2.09 |
