Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/694

614 Flowers in sessile clusters. Calyx-lobes ovate, often scarious on the margin, coloured within. Bracts scarious. Petals 0. Stamens 5, inserted near top of the calyx. Styles 2. Capsule 1/6-in. ; beak consisting of two lanceolar portions, acute upward (mitriform), separating into two 1-seeded parts, lower portion of the fruit 2-seeded. Seeds dull black, roughly puberulous, the concertric lineation very obscure (C. B. Clarke).

Use : — It is used as an astringent in abdominal diseases, and is also stated to produce abortion (Dr. Stewart).

Vern. : — Gada-cani (B.) ; Bhees Khupra (Dec); Vallay-sharunnpy (Tam.) ; Telia ghalijeroo (Tel.) ; Jaija soppu (Kan.).

Habitat : — Deccan Peninsula.

Diffuse, prostrate, branched herb, glabrous or papillose. Leaves l-l½in. ; oblong or elliptic; petiole ⅛-¼in. Flowers in nearly sessile clusters. Calyx-lobes ovate, usually obtuse, often scarious on the margins. Bracts scarious. Stamens 10. Petals 0. Styles 2. Capsule 1/6in. ; beak a truncate solid cylinder, not at all or very obscurely mitriform, with two included seeds, indehiscent or finally splitting. Seeds 4 ; 2 lower, dull black, puberulous, with numerous faint concentric raised lines.

Uses : — The root is aperient, and said to be useful in hepatitis, asthma and suppression of the menses. A decoction of the root-bark is given as an aperient (Ainslie).

The root, ground up with milk and given internally, is said to be a specific in orchitis. The juice of the leaves dropped into the nostrils relieves one-sided headache (Surgeon-Major Thompson, c.i.e., in Watt's Dictionary).

Syn. : — Pharnaceum pentagonum, Roxb. 275.

Vern.: — Kothruk (Sind.) ; Poprang, gandie bootee (Pb.); Zakhmi-haiyat (Pb. Bazar, according to Stewart *).


 * Dymock gives Zakhmi-hyat as the Bombay name of Kalanchoe Laciniata, Dc, which see.