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Fruit ellipsoid (unripe), ½in. long, seated on the entire or irregularly lobed, turbinate, thickly pedicelled perianth tube.

Uses :— A cold infusion of the leaves is mucilaginous, and is used in irritation of the bladder and urethra. The oil of the seeds, Pisa-taila, is used as an application to sprains and itch (Pharmacog. End. Vol III., p. 213;.

Chem. comp. — The dried and powdered red fruits of this tree yielded to other 31.6 per cent, of extract consisting mainly of crystalline fats. Petroleum ether separated this extract into a soluble fatty portion, and an insoluble neutral reddish resin. The petroleum ether solution left on evaporation some fatty acids melting at 30° and solidifying at 35°, but which, on crystillization from boiling alcohol and pressure between filtering paper, afforded some purely white crystals melting at 42.5. The fatty acids would appear to consist of lauric acid with a small admixture of oleic acid.

The resin in the fruits was associated with a volatile oil to which the fragrance is due. The alkaloid detected in the spirituous and the watery extracts of the drug had the reactions of laurotetanine. The dried fruits left after ignition 4.77 per cent, of mineral matter.

The seeds contain 31.6 per cent, of fat extracted by ether. The fat melted at 39° and afforded white crystals melting at 42.5 , consisting of lauric acid.

Habitat: — Temperate Himalaya ; Nepal and Sikkim, A middle-sized very aromatic tree, deciduous, quite glabrous, excepting the hairy pedicels. Shoots terete, smooth, quite black when dry, often very stout Leaves 3-7in., membranous, ovate or lanceolate, acute or acuminate. Petiole slender, ¼-1 in. Basal nerves three, short, not reaching the middle of the leaf. Umbels unopened, globose, ⅓in. diam., solitary or clustered, on slender pedicels, 1/6-½in. long. Bracts, outer membranous, glabrous, hemispherical ; inner narrower. Flowers on tomentose pedicels, ¼in diam., green, 5-7 flowers in each head. Sepals orbicular, nearly glabrous, very membranous. Stamens 9, filaments short, glabrous, seated on the unaltered 6-lobed perianth.

Use: — Yields excellent Sassafras (Kurz).

Sans. : — Akás Valli.