Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/545

Rh woody 3-4 seeded indehiscent, with a hard recurred beak at the upper angle.

The dye is obtained from the pods and also from the heartwood used specially for colouring silk.

Part used : — The wood.

Uses :— Ainslie says that the Vytians consider a decoction of the wood as a powerful emmenagogue, and remarks that the Cochin Chinese hold the same opinion.

The Indian Pharmacopoeia recommends it as a good substitute for logwood.

Dr. Ross of Delhi considers it useful in some forms of skin diseases, lichen especially, given internally as a decoction. Assistant-Surgeon Bhagwan Das of Rawalpindi has found it useful as an astringent tonic in atonic diarrhœa (Watt. II. ii).

Vern. : — Krishnachûrâ (B.) ; Ratuagandi (Kan.).

Habitat : — Cultivated in gardens throughout India.

A large glabrous shrub, armed with a few scattered prickles on branches. Bark silver grey, studded with prominent, but small length lenticels. Wood hard ; Sapwood white, heartwood orange- yellow, glabrous. Pinnae 12-18 pair. Leaflets 20-24, small sessile, close, membranous, oblique-oblong. ½-8/4in. long, very obtuse. Racemes very broad, the lower pedicels 3-4in. long. Calyx ½-⅝in., glabrous. Petals round, crisped, reddish yellow to orange, or bright-yellow, with a distinct claw. Filaments varying in colour, according to the colour of the petals, 3-4 times the length of the Corolla, much exserted. Pod nearly straight, 2-3in. long, thin, ligulate, flat, glabrous, 6-8-seeded.

Use : — The leaves, flowers and seeds are largely used in Native medicine (Watt).

Vern. : — Uru, ûri, arlu, relû, ailn, hyderkajhar (H.) ; Phulwai, uran, kando, uri (Pb.) ; Chillu (Duk.) ; Hotsige (Kan.).

Eng. : — Mysore Thorn.