Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/239

Rh Vern. : — Bastra (H.) ; Massandari (B.) ; Aisar (Bom.); Koat-Komul (Tam.) ; Tondik-teregam (Mal.)

N. B.— The plant known as Aisar at Matlieran is Callicarpa Cana, Linn., (K.R.K.)

Habitat : — Western and Southern India and the Circars.

A small or moderate-sized bushy tree, 30-40ft. Branchlets stout, cylindric, closely covered with a thick felt (easily detached) of stellate hair, young parts very densely stellate-tomentose. Leaves large 6-9in., ovate, rounded or obtuse at the base, slightly acuminate, acute, entire, glabrous when mature, rugose and bright green above, densely covered with a close felt of white or yellowish stellate hair beneath. Petiole ¾-2in., stout, very tomentose. Flowers pale pinkish, lilac, sessile, in clusters of 3. Cymes shortly pedunculate, divaricately branched, densely stellate-tomentose. Bracts linear. Calyx membranous, stellate-tomentose. Corolla glabrous, tube ⅛in., lobes oblong, obtuse, recurved. Anthers cream-coloured. Drupe under ¼in., globose, black, shining.

Uses : — Both leaves and bark are faintly aromatic and bitterish, and afford much mucilage when boiled. The leaves boiled in milk are used as a wash for aphthae of the mouth, and that the bark and root boiled in water yield a decoction which is used to lessen febrile heat and remove hepatic obstruction and hepatie eruptions (Rheede). Ainslie says that " this plant is reckoned by the Javanese amongst their emollients. The bark possesses a peculiar sub-aromatic and slightly bitterish taste and may probably be found to have other medicinal virtues. The Malays consider the plant as a diuretic." According to Drury, the root is employed in Upper India in cutaneous affections, In Ceylon the leaves and bark are used both internally and externally. The bark is said also to be chewed (Trimen).

Syn. : — C incana, Roxb. 131.

Vern. : — Pattharman, súmáli, denthar, daya (Himalayan names) ; Mathara, mattranja (Beng.) ; Bá-pattra, bauna (Pb.).

Habitat :— Throughout N. and E. India, ascending to 6,000ft,