Ultramorphology of some boraginaceous taxa used as Ratanjot

The present study was undertaken with a view to determine some ultramorphological characters which could help in characterizing various boraginaceous taxa used as ‘Ratanjot’ in the traditional Indian system of medicine. Some of the distinguishing characters of the species studied are: broad two armed hair basis with triangular depression at the proximal end in Arnebia benthamii ; the surface of upper epidermal cells tracheal shaped in A. euchroma ; the hair bases saucer shaped with warty blobs in A. nobilis ; the basal cells of large hairs digitally arranged in Maharanga emodi ; and similarly these are arranged in cystolith‐like fashion in Onosma hispidum .