Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/658

578 petiole about 2in., stout, curved with 2 short, setaceous stipules at base. Flowers rather large on short articulated pedicels in two opposite cymes of three, on a long axillary peduncle which is continued beyond them as a long simple tendril. . Calyx ⅝in., truncate at fleshy base, broadly and squarely campanulate, glabrous, segments triangular, acute, slightly spreading ; petals small, distant, linear, inserted at base of Calyx-tube, rather larger in male flower, more or less hairy ; disk wide, with 5 circular pits opposite segments with white cilia (Corona) on their outerside, and a short blunt, erect process within each.

Male flowers : — stamens distinct, filaments very short, anthers linear, ovary rudimentary. Female flowers : — staminodes 5, erect, immediately surrounding ovary, small, acute. Ovary shortly stalked, globose, smooth, tapering into 3 long styles ; stigmas much divided ; feathery. Fruit nearly 2in. on a stout stalk, globose, apiculate, smooth, orange, splitting into 3 fleshy valves. Seeds on long stalks, nearly ½in., mariculate and pitted, black, each enclosed in large pulpy aril.

Flowers greenish-white, tinged with pink.

Use : — The root is said to be poisonous, and is used by the Cinghalese as a medicine (Thwaites).

 

Sans. : — Mahakala.

Vern. : — Lâl-indrâyan (H.) ; Mâkâl (B.) ; Kaundal (Bomb.) ; Koratti, Shavari-pazham (Tam.) ; Avvagûda-pandu (Tel.) ; Avagude-hannu (Kan.).

Habitat : — Throughout the Eastern Tropics, from the Himalaya to Ceylon and Singapore.

Perennial herbs ; stems long, woody below, wide climbing, often 30ft., angular or irregularly rounded, slightly scabrous, sometimes twisting spirally to a marked degree. Dioecious. 