Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/320

240 but as it is nut always procurable, I have not yet had an opportunity of trying it in those diseases. The firuit is also useful in relieving thirst and febrile excitement." (Moodeen Sheriff.)

Vern : — Belambu, Bilimbi, Hind, and Dek. Koch-chittamarta-káya, Puli-chakkáy, Bilimbi-káya, Tam. Pulusu- káyalu, Bili-bili-káyalu, Bilimbi-káyalu, Tel. Vilanbikká, Vilimbi, Karichakká Malgal. Bilimbi, Beng ; Bombay Bilambu, Guz. Kaála-Zoun-si, Kala-Zounya-si, Bur. (Sinhalese) Bilin.

Habitat : — Cultivated in gardens throughout India, also naturalized as an escape. Cylon gardens, cultivated.

A small tree. Wood white, tough, soft, very even-grained. Pores small or moderate-sized, sometimes subdivided, very scanty. Medullary rays extremely fine and indistinct, numerous. Faint pale concentric regular bands, (Gamble). Leaves paripinnate, alternate. Leaflets 6-14 pair, lower smallest, subopposite, ovate-oblong, acuminate, unequal-sided at the base, glabrous, pubescent on the nerves beneath, pale beneath ; blade 2-20in. by 1-15in.; petiolules short. Flowers dark purple brown says Talbot, dark crimson in Bombay (K. R. Kirtikar), cauliflorous in short panicles from the old wood of the stem and branches and from tender branches also. (K. R. K.). Bracteoles subulate. Sepals ovate, glabrescent, or with a few shining hairs. Petals much longer than the sepals, pubescent. Fruit oblong, acid, slightly furrowed, 2in. long, obtusely lobed, juicy, greenish, yellow when ripe. Seeds without an arillus.

Part used : — The fruit.

Uses : — Astringent, stomachic and refrigerant.

The syrup of fruit is useful in relieving thirst, febrile excitement, and also in some slight cases of hæmorrhage from the bowels, stomach, and internal hæmorrhoids. The fruit itself, in the form of curry, is a useful dietary article in piles and scurvy.

Preparation : — Syrup : Take of the juice of the ripe fruit, strained through cloth, ten fluid ounces ; refined sugar, thirty