Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/570

490 wood in the centre, moderately hard ; alternate, more or less concentric, wavy, broken and anastomosing bands of dark firm tissue, and slightly lighter soft tissue. Leaves rather broad than deep, middle-sized, rigidly sub-coriaceous, deeply cordate, the obtuse lobes reaching ¼-⅓ down ; 11-15-nerved ; pubescence grey. Corymbs few-flowered, lateral, sessile, or short peduncled ; bracts minute, deltoid ; pedicels erecto-patent, ¼-½in. Calyx- tube ¾-1in ; limb cordate-ovate, equalling the cylindrical tube. Petals l½-2in. long, an inch or more broad, white, beautifully variegated with red and yellow, glabrous, obovate, clawed, much exserted. Stamens 3-5. Pod ¾-lin. broad, hard, flat, rather decurved, dehiscent, 10-15-seeded.

Parts used : — The bark and root.

Use.— The Sanskrit writers mention two varieties of this Banhinia — the one with purple or deep, rose-colored flowers, and the other with white, yellow or green. The bark is described as alterative, tonic and astringent. Useful in scrofula, skin diseases and ulcers (Dutt). The author of the Makhzan, describes the bark as astringent, attenuant and tonic. He says it is used to check diarrhœa, to remove intestinal worms, and prevent the decomposition of the blood and humors ; on this account it is useful in leprosy and scrofula. A gargle made from the bark with the addition of Akâkiâ (extract of Acâciâ pods) and pomegranate flowers is mentioned as a remedy in salivation and sore-throat, and a decoction of the buds in cough, bleeding piles, hsematuria and menorrhagia (DYMOCK).

In the Concan the juice of the fresh bark with the juice of the flowers of Strobilanthes citrata, 10 tolâs of each, is given as an expectorant, and the bark is used with ginger as an internal remedy for scrofula. (DYMOCK.)

The root in decoction is given in dyspepsia and flatulency ; the flowers with sugar as a gentle laxative ; and the bark, flowers, or root triturated in rice water as a cataplasm to promote suppuration (Watt). The dried buds are used in piles and dysentery. They are considered by natives cool and astringent, and are useful in diarrhœa and worms (Punjab Products.)