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Rh

Sans. : — Koochandana ; Kambhoji.

Vern. : — Rakta-chandan, rakta kambal, ranjan (B). ; Vâl, thorali gunj (Bomb.) ; Manjadi ; Anigundumani (Tam.) ; Bandi-gurvina ; Manseni kotta (Tel.) ; Bir-mungara (Santal.) ; Manjati (Mal.); Bâri-gumchi, hati-gumchi (Duk. and Guz.) ; Manjadi (Kan.) ; Chandar (Assam.).

Habitat: — East Himalayas and Western Peninsula.

A deciduous, erect tree, without spines or tendrils. Leaves ample, bipinnate. Bark-grey. Wood bard, close-grained, pinnæ 8-12, opposite, short stalked, 4-8in. long. Leaflets oblong, or elliptic-oblong, evenly alternate, short-stalked, not coriaceous, 12-18, obtuse, ¾-1½in. long. Racemes short-peduncled, 2-6in. long, ½in. broad, simple from the axils of the leaves and panicled at the end of the branches. Flowers fragrant. Pedicels as long as the flowers, ⅛-1/6in. Calyx small, campanulate, teeth short. Petals 5, connate at base. Stamens 10, free, anthers tipped with a deciduous gland. Pods linear, 6-9 by ½in., falcate, curved and twisted when opening. Seeds 10-12, usually bright scarlet, con-colourous, shining, lenticular, compressed, rarely yellow-brown.

Use : — The powdered seeds make a useful external application, hastening suppuration.

A decoction is made from the leaves in South India, and given as a remedy for chronic rheumatism and gout. If used for any length of time, it is said to be an aphrodisiac. This decoction is said to be useful in hæmorrhage from the bowels and hæmaturia.

Syn. — Adenanthera aculeata, Roxb. 361.

Vern. — Shamî (B. and M.) ; Jhand, khar (Pb.) ; Sâmi, sâmadâ, kandi (Sind.) ; Semru, kamra (Guz.); Pirumbe, jambu (Tam.) Chanee(Tel.)