Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/161

Rh Department at a cost of about four pence per pound, so that there is every prospect of Belladonna being grown profitably in Kumaun. -The Tropical Agriculturist, from the Annual Reports, Kumaun Government Gardens. Indian Forester, April 1914.

Vern. :— Sâdâ dhûtúrá (B.) ; Umatai (Tam.) ; Ummetta (Tel.)

Habitat : — Simla on waste ground. Temperate Himalaya, from Kashmir to Sikkim. Nearly throughout the globe, in temperate and warm climates.

An annual, erect, coarse, nearly glabrous, herb; 2-4ft. Leaves stalked, ovate, about 7 by 4in., coarsely and irregularly lobed and toothed. Flowers white, single, on short, usually axillary, stalks. Calyx tubular, 1-l¾in., 4-5-toothed, 5-ribbed. Corolla funnel-shaped, 3-6in. long ; limb spreading, l-3in. across, 5-lobed, folding at the angles, lobes ending in narrow points. Stamens included. Ovary 4-lobed, 2-celled, covered with short, soft points. Stigma 2-lobed, oblong. Capsule ovoid, about 1½ by lin., covered with rigid sharp prickles, surrounded at base by the enlarged reflexed lower part of Calyx, ultimately 4-celled in the lower portion, opening nearly to the base by 4 valves. Seeds reniform, wrinkled.

Uses : — Officinal in both Pharmacopæias.

The British Medical Journal for May 16, 1903 contains an article on " Datura poisoning in the Federated Malay States, " by Mr. John D. Gimlette, in which regarding its uses by natives of those states, he says : —

" The leaves are almost universally used in the treatment of asthma, but it is significant to note that Datura is not often given internally by natives. The Malays mix leaves with wine or powdered rice and saffron, and apply them externally for various pains and swellings. They will heat them over a torch until smoked, and then apply them as a poultice over the spleen in intermittent fever. The root is powdered and applied to the gums in order to relieve the pain of toothache. The flowers are dried and roughly powdered with or without the leaves and rolled into cigarettes for the relief of asthma."

Var. :— Tatula: h.f.b.i. iv. 242.