Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/821

Rh equalling the blue or red corolla. Corolla ⅓-½in. diam., closing in dull weather, segments often ciliate. Capsule about 1/5in. in diam, dehiscing transversely in the middle ; sttyle persistent. Seeds 3-gonous.

Uses : — Used to intoxicate fish and to expel leeches from the nostrils. For this purpose the juice of the various species of Begnonia would seem admirably suited. It is also used in cerebral affections, leprosy, hydrophobia, dropsy, epilepsy, and mania. Formerly it was used in Europe in epilepsy, mania, hysteria, delirium, enlargement of the liver, spleen, dropsy, emaciation, stone, the plague, bites of serpents and mad animals, and in numerous other diseases (Honnigberger).

Said to be poisonous to dogs, producing inflammation of the stomach (Baden-Powell's P. P, I. 368).

Now it is not used in Europe or Asia. ' What a pity that such a remedy should have been suffered to pass into oblivion" (Honnigberger)-

Vern. : — Bebrang, kakhum, kokhúri, gugul, bandáru, atuljan (Pb.) ; Guvaini, Pahari chá, Chapra (U. P.)

Habitat: — Himalaya, from Kashmir and the Salt Range to Nepal.

A small, evergreen, pubescent shrub, sometimes soft. Bark thin, dark-brown, with large lenticels. Wood light-brown, moderately hard. Bractlets and petioles ferruginous-pubescent. Leaves nearly sessile, lanceolate, ½-1in., sharply toothed, midrib prominent. Flowers nearly sessile, small in axillary fascicles ; in clusters of 3-8, less than 1/12in. diam. Calyx and Corolla 4-lobed, 5-merous. Stamens 4. Anthers exceeding corolla, style short ; stigma capitate, covered with minute protuberances. Berry dotted with red glands, usually solitary, smooth, says Kanjilal ; 1/10in. diam., swelling when full ripe. Berry, says Clarke, ⅛-1/6in. diam. ; style branches 2-4, spathulate.