Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/481

Rh Use:—The root is used as a bitter tonic in rheumatism, scurvy, diabetes and pulmonary complaints. Many fanciful virtues are attributed to it by the Natives; it is believed to promote the growth of a foetus in utero, the development of which has been arrested (S. Arjun).

The root is also used as an alterative and tonic, for the same purposes as Sarsaparilla, in syphilis, &c. Externally, it is applied to ulcers and other skin diseases.

 

Vern.:—Sis, sassi, meini, pola, khippi, buta, khep, bhata, bui, lataia, kharsan, kauriâla (Pb.); Drunoo (Sind.) ; Ghâgti (Mar.); Ghangaro (Guz.)

Habitat:—In the sandy plains of Sind and Punjab, and the desert regions of Cambay. Western Rajputana and Guzerat. Also in Afghanistan.

An erect, pro-cumbent shrub. Branches numerous, slender, flexible and rush-like when young, stiff and rigid when old. Leaves simple, small and scanty. Stipules 0, linear or oblong. Flowers yellow, 6-12, far apart, on large raceme forming terminal, divaricate, rigid panicles. Calyx toothed, with long, dense, silky hairs; teeth lanceolate, as long as Corolla, ¼-⅓ inch. Corolla yellowy scarce exserted (J. G. Bakar). Pod oblong, 3-4 — seeded, rather longer than the Calyx.

Use:—The branches and leaves are used as a cooling medicine (Stewart).

Habitat:—Plains, from the Upper Ganges to Ceylon, ascending the Himalaya to 6,000 ft.; also in Upper Burma and Java.

Copiously branched herbs, with flexuous, trailing, slender stems, finely silky, or with yellowish brown hairs. Leaves close, simple, obovate-oblong, rather oblique; nearly sessile, 1-1½ in. long, obtuse, pale, glaucous below, produced (cordate) 