Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/249

Rh Vern. :— Junka (B.); Bir ; tandi ; bariar ; Jokha ; sakam (Santal.) ; Palampàsi (Tam.) ; Gàyapu àku (TEL.) ; (Gujrat and Porebunder) Bhoyabala ; (Marathi) Bhui chiknà, Bhoybal ; (Hindi) Bananiyâr ; (Sinhalese) Bevila ; (Tam.) Palum-padu.

Habitat : — Generally distributed throughout the hotter parts of India, Ceylon and grassy ground and waste places.

A perennial herb ; branches long, prostrate, trailing, rooting at the nodes, with scattered stellate hairs. Leaves variable in size, ½-1 in., broadly ovate, cordate at base, acute, coarsely crenate- serrate, sparsely covered with long hairs. Petiole ¼-⅓ in., hairy. Flowers pale yellow, rather small, numerous, less than half an inch in diam. Peduncle 1 in. or more, stiff, slender, slightly hairy. Calyx 5-angled, segments triangular, very acute, with stellate hairs on margin. Petals broader than long, truncate, ripe carpels 5-pointed, slightly bicuspidate, smooth (Trimen).

Part used : — The leaves.

Use: — Among the Santals, the leaves are pounded, and used as a local application to cuts and bruises. They are also given in the diarrhœa of pregnancy (Revd. CAMPELL).

Jayakrishna Indraji says that the flowers and unripe fruits are given together in sugar for burning sensation, in micturition.

Syn. : — S. alba, L., S. alinifolia, L., Roxb. 516.

Sans. : — Nâgabalàa. Khar-yashtikâ — J. Indraji.

Vern. : — Jangli-méthi, gulsakari (Hind, and Deck.) ; Kántálo-bal ; (Guj. and Porebunder). (Marâthi) Kânteri Tukati; Khareti, Gulsakari ; (Hindi). Mayirmànikkam (Tam.) ; Mayilumànikyam (Te.) ; Mayirmanikkam, Katta-ventiyam (Malyal.) ; Kádu-menthya (Can.) ; Pilabaréla, Bòn-méthi (Beng.) ; Koti-kàmbabila, Mairmànikam (Sinh.); Shanbalide-barri, Shamlithe-dashti (Pers.) ; Kulbahebarri (Arab.).