Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/241

Rh longitudinal furrows. Wood. Sap wood small, whitish, not durable; heartwood brown, pale, when first cut but darkening on exposure, coarse-grained, hard, with a remarkably cross-grained and fibrous structure; the fibres of alternate belts in the wood on a vertical section, running in opposite directions, so that when the wood is dressed, a very sharp plane is necessary, or it will not get smooth; does not season well. Leaves, when full grown, glabrous and shining, 6-10 by 4-6 in., petiole ¾-1 in., stipules ⅓in., falcate, pubescent, caducous. — (W. T. Thiselton Dyer). 4-12 by 2-7 in., ovate-oblong, acuminate, tough, thinly coriaceous ; lateral nerves 12-15 pair, twice near the apex, very slender, base cordate or rounded ; petioles terete (Kanjilal). Flowers in large lax terminal or axillary racemose panicles covered with white pubescence. Calyx-tube short, adnate to the torus ; segments ovate, all accrescent in fruit. Petals pale yellow, about ½in. long, narrow, oblong, lanceolate, bearded, minutely trifid at apex. Ovary 3- celled ; style subulate. Fruit ½ in. long, ovoid, acute, rather fleshy,, indehiscent, white— pubescent. Wings 5, 2-3 in. long, spathulate, narrowed at the base, brown when dry, some- what unequal, with 10-12 straight parallel nerves.

The tree yields, when tapped, a large quantiy of white opaline resin, which is burnt as incense. An oil is extracted from the fruit which is used for burning and to adulterate with ghee. The fruit is formed into flour and eaten by the poorer classes in times of scarcity (Kanjilal ).

This is the principal tree of the Siwalik Division. In Nepal, it attains 100-150 ft., with a clear stem, to the first branch of 60-80 ft., and a girth of 20-25 ft. (Brandis). Within the limits of the Siwalik and Jaunsar Flora, it is seldom more than 80 ft. in height, and 6 ft. in girth, unless hollow inside (Kanjilal). "Tropical Himalaya and along its base, from Assam to the Sutlej. Eastern Districts, Central India, western Bengal Hills." (W.T. T. Dyer).

Farts used : — The resin and leaves.

Use : — By the Hindoo writers, the resin is regarded as astringent and detergent, and is used in dysentery, and for fumigations, plasters, &c. The resin thrown over the fire gives