Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/504

424 below, orbicular or oblong. Heads of flowers short, dense, oblong-cylindrical, always simple, 1-2, rarely 3-in. : long, under lin. thick ; bracts sub-persistent, distinctly ciliated. Pedicels densely crinate, not longer than Calyx. Calyx 1/6-1/5in. ; lower teeth setaceous, densely plumose. Corolla scarcely exserted. Joints 1-2, brown polished, finely pubescent.

Use : — This plant is an ingredient of the Dashamûla Kâdhâ (Decoction), and is thus much used in Native medicine. It is considered alterative, tonic, and anti-catarrhal, but is seldom used alone (Dutt).

According to Sushruta, it was given with milk to women in the seventh month of their pregnancy to produce abortion.

The properties attributed to it are probably entirely fanciful (Pharm. Ind.)

{{c|{{larger|370. Alysicarpus longifolius, W. & A., {{sc| h.f.b.l, ii.}} 159.}}

Habitat : — Plains, scattered throughout India proper.

Stems stout, ascending, sub-glabrous, reaching 4-5 ft. Leaf-lets oblong and lanceolate, 3-6 in. long, the flowers adpressed to the finely hairy rachis ; pedicels 1/12 in. Calyx ¼ in. ; teeth lanceolate, 4-5 times the length of the funnel-shaped plicate tube. Pod 4-6-jointed, usually exserted, 1/12 in. broad, turgid moniliform, marked with only a few faint raised vines.

Use : — The roots are sweet like liquorice and are called liquorice by the Indian peasants, and used as a substitute for the same.

{{c|{{larger|371. Arachis hypogœa, Linn,}} {{sc| h.f.b.l, ii.}} 161, Roxb. 252.}}

Vern. :— Mung-phali ; vilâayeti-mung (H). ; Mât-kalai ; chini-bâdâm ; bilati-mung (B.); Bbui-mung; (Sind.); Bhui-shing (Bom. ); Bhui-mug ; bhui-chane (Mar.) ; Chini-mung ; bhui-chanâ (Guz.) ; Ver-kadalai ; nila-kadalai ; kadalaikai ; manilla-kottai (Tam,) ; Veru-sanagalu ; manilla-ginjalu ; nila-sanagalu (Tel.) ; Bhuimug. (Kan).

Habitat : — Cultivated in many parts of India.