Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/706

 A 2-4ft. erect, branched herb with leaves nearly glabrous or pilose. Lower cauline leaves 3-partite or twice or thrice 3-partite, ultimate segments of the lower leaves often 1-2 by ¼-½in., serrate, of the upper narrower sometimes linear. Bracts ; rays 6-12, l-2in., glabrous or nearly so ; bracteoles 1-2, 1/6in., often ; pedicels 6-10, 1/10-1/5in - Fruit 1/20-1/16 in.carpels ellipsoid, almost globose, ridges slender, rarely white and conspicuous ; disc obsolete ; carpophore 2-fid, sometimes deeply. Fruit didymous broader than long. Seed nearly terete, not concave on the inner face.

Use: — Root is used in fever (J. J. Wood's Plants of Chutia Nagpur, p. 107).

Syn. : — Ligusticum diffusum, Roxb. 271.

Sans. ; — Vana yamâni.

Vern. : — Banjowân (B.) ; Kirminji-ajvân (Mar.).

Habitat : — Plains of India, from the foot of the Siwaliks to Assam and Coromandel ; frequent in Central Bengal.

An annual herb, erect or diffuse, 4-12in., often much branched. Leaves all similarly cut, upper with linear segments, lower 2-pinnate, secondary pinnæ ovate, lobed, pubescent. Bracts 4-5, ⅓in., narrowly lanceolate, caudate, pubescent. Calyx-teeth 0; rays 8-16, ¼-lin., bracteoles like the bracts, but rather smaller ; pedicels 8-16, 1/6in. Flowers white or pinkish. Fruit sub-globose, ridges thick, often pale yellow, 1/12-1/10in. glabrous or hispid, hairs often clubbed or sub-stellate at the apex ; carpels ½ terete, vittæ distinct ; carpophore entire, disk prominent, styles spreading (C. B. Clarke).

Use :— The seed is used as a medicine for cattle. It is also said to be carminative (Watt).

I have found the seeds to act as a good anthelmintic for round worms, and they are also stimulant, carminative, and stomachic. — Dose of simple powder, from 20 grains to a drachm (Moodeen Sheriff).