Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/221

Rh The root contains a bitter principle of a resinoid nature dissolving in sulphuric acid, with a purple colour. It contains, besides, a crystalline cho- lesterol, with small quantities of tannin and sugar (Hooper).

Vern. :— Lalbâhuk (Ph.).

Habitat: — Subtropical Himalaya, from Garhwal to Bhotan, very common. Khasia hills and Assam.

A shrub 3-7ft. Leaves large, lanceolate, glabrous, 7 by 1¾in., tapering at both ends, subentire, densely punctulate ; petiole ¾in. Thyrses 4-12in., terminal, solitary or several, or quasi-axillary on lateral branches ; peduncles short ; bracts ¼in., linear. Calyxtube ⅛in. ; teeth ¼-⅓in., setaceous, densely pubescent. Corolla ⅔in., closely villous, orange; tube broad from the base, curved ; 2-lipped, upper lip suberect, lower patent. Stamens glabrous, or slightly hairy near the base of the filaments ; 2 rudiments often discernible. Style glabrous. Capsule 1¼ by 1/6in., subquadrangular, glabrous, 12-14-seeded. Seeds much compressed, orbicular in outline, densely shortly hairy, hairs elastically spreading when moistened.

Use : — In the Panjab, it is put to the same uses as Adhatoda Vasica, Nees.

{{c|{{larger|932. Lepidagathis cristata, Willd. }} {{sc|h.f.b.i. iv.|| 516 ; Roxb. 476.}}

Vern. : — Bhuyaterada (M.) ; Ot dhompo (Santal).

Habitat : — Frequent in Coromandel.

Herbs, with perennial rootstock. Stems 6-18in., branched, procumbent, quadrangular, puberulous or slightly pubescent. Leaves 1 by ¼in., sessile lanceolate above, minutely scabrid pubescent on the nerves beneath or glabrate ; linear or oblong. Inflorescence subradical globose ; one or two small heads sometimes added to the lower part of the leafy branches. Bracts ⅓in., rigid in fruit. Bracteoles membranous, hairy, spinescent. Both bracts and bracteoles elliptic ovate or obovate, suddenly spinose acuminate. Calyx sub-4-partite, one segment bifid ;