Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/190

940 (Pb.) ; Tattunúa (C. P.) ; Tantun, tetu, ulu, karkath, saunavanga, achi, vanga-maram (Ta.) ; Pamania, pampana, dundillam, dondlup, Mandukaparnamu, Sukanasamu, pampenachettu, (Tel.); Tetu, Anamungu, dundukara, bagi mokka, alaugi-mara. (Kan.) ; Palakapaiyana, aralu, veluttapatiri — maram, arantal (Mal). Ginsen, Dak-dawa, sicat (Palamow).

Habitat : — Common throughout India, from the Himalaya to Ceylon ; not in the Western drier area, but in the Terai, west to the Chenab.

Usually a small deciduous tree, but attaining sometimes 30-40ft. Branched at the top. Bark ¼in. thick, yellowish-grey, rather smooth, soft, with numerous large corky lenticels ; yields rather a green juice when cut. Wood yellowish-white, soft, no heartwood (Gamble). Leaves extremely large, 3-5ft., triangular in outline, three-or quadri-pinnate with opposite pinnæ ; rachis very stout, cylindric, much swollen at the branches, rough, with corky lenticels, primary pinnae about 5 pair. Leaflets numerous, shortly petiolate, 2½-4½in., broadly oval or nearly rotundate at base, suddenly and shortly cordate, acuminate, obtuse, glabrous, paler beneath. Flowers with an unpleasant smell, numerous, dull-pale, pinkish-yellow inside, reddish-purple outside, on very stout, glabrous, spreading pedicels, 2½-3in., long and articulated at base, arranged in very large erect racemes, l-2ft. or more long, peduncle very short, branch-like, bracts fused with the peduncle. Calyx 1¾ in., oblong-campanulate, glabrous. Corolla-tube 2¼in., mouth about 4in., lobes much crumpled in bud, thickly covered on both sides with papillose hairs. Filaments cottony at base, disk fleshy, style 2½in, stigma 1/5in. wide with 2 semicircular plates. Ovary oblong, somewhat compressed, glabrous. Capsule 2-2½ft. or even more by 3½-4in., wide, long, flat, swordlike, acute, tapering at both ends, dehiscenting at the edges; semi-woody, thin flat septum. Seeds very numerous, oval, wing extending all round except at base, 2½in. diam (Trimen). (C.B.Clarke).

Parts used : — The bark and seeds.

Uses : — In Hindu medicine, " root- bark considered astringent, tonic, and useful in diarrhœa and dysentery. Tender fruits are described as grateful, carminative and stomachic."