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898 with black pepper, in rheumatism. The leaves are also applied locally, to relieve pain (B. D. Basu). A decoction of the plant is used in cases of gonorrhoea.

" The bud and flower, with salt (solution) good for watery eyes" (J. J. Wood's Plants of Chutia Nagpur, p. 122).

The fruit of this plant were found on analysis to have a similar composition to those of the S. indicum, except that in this case the fruits were examined in a fresh condition, and the solanine reactions of the alkaloid and the almost entire absence of ammonia were noticed. The dried leaves left 20.74 per cent, of ash when burnt, and contained traces of an alkaloid, and an astringent organic acid giving a green precipitate with ferric salts. (Pharmacographia Indica II, 559.)

Sans. : — Alarka.

Vern. : — Toodavullay (Tam.) ; Moond-la-moosteh ; Oochinta kura (Tel.) : Motaringani mula (M.) ; Nabhi-ánkuri (Uriya).

Habitat : — W. Deccan Peninsula ; from the Concan south-wards and frequent, every common on waste ground, in dry regions.

A small under-shrub, subscandent by its numerous hooked prickles. Stems 6-12ft., slender, with long divaricate branches, with a few stellate hairs on the young shoots, otherwise nearly glabrous, provided with many flattened, hooked, decurved, very sharp prickles. Leaves ¾-1½in., irregularly 3-5-lobed, rotund, ovate or ovate elliptic in outline, obtuse, glabrous, often with 2 or 3 small curved prickles in the midrib; base not cordate. Petiole as long as the leaf or half as long, prickly. Peduncles short, mostly extra-axillary short, 1-3-fid, pedicels ⅓-1½in., with very strong, short, recurved prickles. Flowers large, on long divaricate or rehexed glabrous pedicels, says Trimen, rich violet-purple. Cymes racemose, short, 3-9-flowered, nearly sessile, Calyx small, slightly stellate, hairy, segments lanceolate acute, hardly elongate in fruit. Corolla 1¼-1½in. diam., stellate pubescent without, lobes very deep, oblong oval, obtuse, usually reflexed. Berry ⅓in., smooth, scarlet, globose, much exceeding the Calyx-lobes. Seeds ⅛in., smooth, or very nearly so. Berries edible.