Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/750

670 6-12in., or even 2ft., erect, stiff, cylindric, striate, more or less pubescent, slightly branched. " Sometimes decumbent at the base, grooved " (Collet). Leaves alternate distant, the lower 2in., but generally smaller upwards, nearly sessile, lanceolate, or ovate, broadly oval to linear-lanceolate, tapering to the base, subobtuse, apiculate, coarsely and shallowly crenate-serrate, more or less hairy on both sides, ½-1½in. ; teeth few, coarse. Petiole ¼-¾in. Heads numerous, ¼in. diam., small, on long stalks, in lax divaricate terminal corymbs. Involucre-bracts linear, mucronate ; silky, outer ones smaller than the inner. Flowers 20-25, bright, pinkish-violet ; pappus white ; outer row very short. Achenes not ribbed, hairy terete, 1/16in. A very variable plant.

Uses : — Used in medicine by the Hindus in decoction, to promote perspiration in febrile affections (Ainslie). The expressed juice of the plant is given in piles (B. D. B.).

The seeds are employed in Patna as an alexipharmic and anthelmintic, and as a constituent of masalas for horses (Irvine). In Chutia Nagpur, the whole plant is given as a remedy for spasm of the bladder and strangury ; the flowers are administered for conjunctivitis (Campbell). The latter use is interesting, since, according to Piso, the leaves of another species of the same genus are similarly employed in Jamaica. (Watt.). In Chutia Nagpur, root is given for dropsy (J. J. Wood's Plants of Chutia Nagpur, p. III.).

Syn. : — Serratula anthelmintica, Roxb. 594.

Sans. : — Somarája ; Avalguja; Vákuchi.

Vern.:— Káli-ziri ; Bukchi (H. and B.) ; Káralye (Mar.) ; Káttu shiragam, Neernoochie (Tam.) ; Neela-vayalie, Adavie-zula-kuru (Tel).

Habitat : — Throughout India, from Kashmir to Ceylon.

A tall, robust, leafy annual, branched, glandular-pubescent, stem 2-3ft, much branched striate, often blotched with purple. Leaves petioled, 3-8in., rather membranous, lanceolate or