Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/250

170 Habitat : — Throughout the hotter parts of India and Ceylon.

An erect, much-branched undershrub ; stems slender, rough, with minute stellate hairs, often with small, recurved prickles at the nodes below the petioles. Leaves 1-1½ in., oval or oblong, obtuse, coarsely crenate-serrate, glabrous above, finely stellate-pubescent beneath. Petiole ½-⅝ in., stellate-pubescent. Flowers white, ½ in., pedicels ½-¾ in., slender, jointed near top. Calyx hairy, segments short, triangular, acute ; ripe carpels 5, with 2 long, erect, rough scales, equalling the Calyx. Seeds solitary. Radicle superior.

Parts used : — -The leaves and root.

Uses : — The leaves are demulcent and refrigerant, and are useful in some cases of gonorrhœa, gleet and scalding urine.

The decoction of the root-bark and root is used as a demulcent in irritability of the bladder and in gonorrhœa, says J. Indraji.

The root acts as a gentle tonic and diaphoretic, and is employed in mild cases of debility and fever.

The leaves are bruised in water, strained through cloth and administered in the form of a draught ; the root is used in decoction, prepared in a similar manner to that of S. caprinifolia (MOODEEN SHERIFF).

Syn. : — S. acuta, Burm. S. lanceolata, Roxb. 517.

Sans. : — Balâ Phanijivika (J. Indraji).

Vern. :— Kareta (B. and H.) ; Vishaboddee (Tel.); Bariaca kareta (Hind.); Pilà barela, koreta, bon-méthi (Beng.) ; Isbadi, Isarbadi (Dec.) ; Bala, jangli-méthi (Bomb.), Tupkaria, tukati, chikana pata (Mar.) ; jungli methi (Guz.) ; Maloconni (Malay.); Vata tirippi, malaitangi, mayir-manikkam, visha-boddi, chiti- mutti, mutu-vapulogum (TAM.)

Habitat : — Throughout the hotter parts of India and Ceylon.

A perennial undershrub, generally distributed throughout the hotter parts of India. Leaves nearly glabrous, narrow,