PRANGOS PABULARIA. Lindley.
Fitrasuliun, Fitura, Pusa.f Prangos, . . . PUSHTU. Petrasoleum, . . . „ Kornai, . . . „ This plant grows south from Iskardo, in Western Ladakh at 10,000 feet, in parts of Kashmir at 5000 to 6000 feet. It is found above Vernag, where Moorcroft also says he saw it, and in Afghanistan, in the high land round Ghazni, about 7000 or 8000 feet (Bellew), and near Maidan, close to Kiihul, at 6000 feet, and towards linjigiik, per haps 12,000 feet (Mooreroft, who calls it Romai). Bellew brought at least one other species of Prangos from Afghanistan. This plant constitutes excellent fodder for eAttle, fattens quickly, and destroys the ' liver fluke,' Fasciola hepatica. of sheep. Boyle considers it one of the plants which yielded the Silphium of Alexander's historians. Moorcroft, in Tibet, found it. employed as winter fodder for sheep and goats, and frequently for neat cattle ; and, writing from the neighbourhood of Draz, hepraises thePrangos hayplant. Attempts to introduce it into GreatBritain were unsuccessful; awl it is probable it will only succeed and be valuable in a climate similar to that where it is found indigenous. It is highly valued in the cold
and arid region of Tibet, where it is indigenous. It is found in Tibet, and also most abundantly on Ahatong, a low trap hill in the valley of Kashmir ; but there it was not so vigorous as in its Tibetan habitat. Dr. Falconer is of opinion that its im portance has been much over-estimated. The l'rangos will be valuable only in countries devoid of good natural pasturage, and of which the climate is favourable to its growth. In Kash mir, it is used in decoction to cure the rot in sheep. The leaves are used as fodder for sheep ; they are rather heating. The native name, fit rasuliun, is probably a corruption of the Greek name of parsley. Lieut. A: Burnes, crossing in the direction of Alexander's route, found this plant, the Prangos, greedily cropped by sheep. The fitrasuliuii seed from this or another species of Prangos is used as an aphrodisiac.-0'81s. p. 369; Moorcroft, v. p. 179; Join. Ed. Journ. xiii. 873; As. Res. ; Rogle's Pro. Res. ; i. p. 352 ; Stew.