Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/390

310 Vern. — Drek, bakain, bakâyan, betain, deikna, bakarja, mahanîb (Hind.); Ghorânim, mahâ-nîm, (Beng.) ; Gara nîm, (Kol); Thamaga (Assam) ; Bakaînû (Nepal) ; Bukaîn (N.-W. P.); Chein, kachen, bakain, dhek, drek, jek, seed = habbulbân (Pb.j ; Bakyâna, (Pushtu) ; Bakayun, drek (Sind.) Maha limbo, 'malla nîm muhli, (C. P.) ; Gourî-nîm, goulî-nîm (Dec ) ; Nimb, maha-lîmbo, drek, bakayan, wilayatî nîm (Bomb.) ; Limbara bakâna- nimb, wilayati-nimb (Mar.) ; Dek (Dun) ; Bakan limbodo (Guz.) ; Malai, vembu, malai-veppam (Tam.) ; Taraka vépa, makânîm, konda-vepa (Tel.) ; Bévu, chik bévu, hutchu bevu, kadbevinâmara, bettada-bevina (Kan.) ; Mullay vaempû (Malay.) ; Ta-ma- ka, ka-ma-ka (Burm.) ; Maha-nîmba, lunumîdella (Sing.); Habul-bân (Arab).

J. Indraji : — (Porbunder and Guj.) Bakân, Bakân-limbdo ; (Maráthi) Bakâyin ; (Hind.) Bakâyin.

English— The Persian Lilac, Indian lilac, or Bead tree.

A middle-sized, deciduous tree, young shoots and inflorescence sparsely clothed with deciduous stellate hairs, heartwood light red ; annual rings marked by a belt of large vessels. Pinnate, 3-4 pair, more or less opposite. Leaflets 3-12, ovat -lanceolate, more or less deeply serrate, sometimes lobed. Flowers lilac, with a strong honey-scent. Staminal-tube purple, ⅓in. long, teeth 20-30, linear ; anthers glabrous, shorter than, or as long as the teeth. Stigma clavate, 5-toothed. Drupe yellow, when ripe 3-4in. long.

Uses. — " Hindu writers on Materia Medica seem to have almost entirely neglected the Persian Lilac in favour of their own nîm. It has, however, long been used by the Arabs and Persians, who brought a knowledge of its virtues with them into India. They consider the root-bark, fruit, flowers, and leaves to be hot and dry, and to have deobstruent, resolvent, and alexipharmic properties. Thus, the flowers and leaves are applied as a poultice to relieve nervous headaches. The juice of the leaves, administered internally, is said to be anthelmintic, antilithic, diuretic, and emmenagogue, and is thought to relieve cold swellings, and expel the humors which give rise to them" (DYMOCK).