Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/11

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732. Jasminum Sambac, Ait., 591.

Syn.:—J. Zambac, Roxb.—30.

Sans.—Varshiki.

Vern.:—Chamba, mugra, bela (Hind.); Mallickaphul, bel (Beng.); Mallippu (Tam.); Mogri, bhtt mogri (Bom.); Mullige (Kan). Sapai, mali (Burm.

Habitat:—Much cultivated throughout India.

A scandent shrub. Branchlets pubescent. Leaves simple, opposite, or sometimes ternate, thinly membranous, varying from l-5 in., acute or obtuse, short petioled, ovate, nearly glabrous, base cuneate or rounded, nerves beneath pubescent or glabrous, primary nerve often tufted in the axils beneath; secondary nerves distinct; petioles 1/5 in. Cymes lax, terminal, sometimes solitary, about 3-flowered, pubescent, many flowered in cultivation. Bracts 0-¼, linear. Flowers white, very fragrant. Calyx-teeth subulate, ¼ in.", pubescent, in cultivation often nearly glabrous. Corolla-tube ½ in., lobes as long as the tube, oblong, acute or obtuse, or in cultivation orbicular. Ripe carpels nearly globose, 1 or 2, |in. diam., black, surrounded by the suberect subulate Calyx-teeth.

Uses:—"Considered by natives cool and sweet: used as a remedy in cases of insanity, in weakness of sight, and affections of mouth " (Baden-Powell).

In Goa, the root of the wild variety is used as an emmenagogue (Dymock).

The flowers, according to the report of Mr. J. Wood, possess considerable power as a lactifuge; he speaks of them as effectual in arresting the secretion of milk in the puerperal state, in cases of threatened abscess. For this purpose, about two or three handfuls of the flowers are bruised, and unmoistened are applied to each breast, and renewed once or twice a day. The secretion is sometimes arrested in twenty-four hours, though this generally requires two or even three days. Mr. Wood speaks of this fact as being well-known at Madras (Ph. hid.).