Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/554

474 ulate, caducous. Flowers usually in nearly sessile pairs in the axils of the leaves, of the upper very crowded. Corolla small, bright or orange-yellow: Sepals concave. Stamens sub-equal. Pods ½-¾ft. by ¼ in. ; membranous, slender, sub-tetragonous, the sutures very broad. Seeds uniseriate, flattened in the same direction as the pod, truncately cylindrical, about 1/5in. long ; length parallel to the suture.

Parts used : — The leaves and seeds.

Uses : — In Hindu medicine it has a great reputation in all kinds of skin. diseases. Chakradatta recommends the seeds together with those of Pongarnia glabra as a cure for ring-worm.

Mohamedan writers notice the closing of the leaves at night. They consider the seeds and leaves to have solvent properties in those forms of skin disease accompanied by induration, e.g., leprosy, cheloid, psoriasis, &c. (Dymock ).

The leaves are gently aperient ; fried in castor oil, they are considered a good application to foul ulcers. The seeds ground with sour butter-milk are used to ease the irritation of itchy eruptions ; and the root, rubbed on a stone with lime juice, is supposed to be one of the best remedies for ring-worm. The leaves are also used as a poultice to hasten suppuration ( Ainslie). A warm remedy in gout, sciatica and pains in the joints (B. Powell)

The medicinal properties are due to the presence of chrysophanic acid. (Vide a paper by Mr. Elborne on the analysis of the seeds in Ph. J., 22 Sept. 1888, p. 242).

Syn. : — Senna auriculata, Roxb. 354.

Eng. : — The Tanner's Cassia.

Vern. — Tarwar, tarver (H & B.) ; Tarota (Berar) ; Taravada (Mar.); Awal, aval (Guz.) ; Awla (Cutch); Avári, ammera-verai, âvirai (Tam.) ; Tangedu, thágedu, tangar (Tel.); Avareke, tengedu, tangádi-gida, ávara-gidá, taravadagida (Kan.) ; Avara, ponnáviram (Mal.).

Habitat : — Wild in the Central Provinces, the Western Peninsula and South India.