A coarse rough annual, edible., cultivated throughout India in gardens. Root fleshy, pungent, variable in size and form. Leaves roughly pilose ; lower ones lyrate. Flowers variable, usually white or lilac, with purple veins. Pods indehiscent, terete, 1 in, to 2ft. (R, caudatus), more or less constricted between the seeds, prolonged beyond the valves in a pointed beak, about half the length of the pod. Seeds separated by pith.
Parts used:—The seeds, and root.
Uses:—The seeds are diuretic, laxative, and lithontriptic, and the roots used for urinary and syphilitic diseases. Stewart says the seeds are considered to be emmenagogue in the Punjab.
The seeds, in doses of one drachm, are useful in gonorrhœa. The root is a reputed medicine for piles and gastrodynic pain (Watt).
The juice of the fresh leaves is also used as a diuretic and laxative.
In full and repeated doses, the seeds sometimes produce vomiting, but this is so rare that they cannot be regarded as an emetic (Moodeen Sheriff).
N. 0. CAPPARIDEÆ.
86. Cleome viscosa, Linn. H.F.B.I., I. 170. Roxb. 501.
Syn.:—Polanisia icosandra, W & A.
Sans.:—Barbara, Karnasphota, Tilparni, Adityabhakta.
Vern.:—Kânphuti, Hulhul, Purhur (H.); Boogra (Pb.); Hoor-hooria (B.); Kathoree (Sind.), Kânphuti, Pivala tilavana, (Bomb.); Nayavayhe, Nahikuddaghoo (Tamil); Kukaworainta, (Teling.); Kat-kuddagho (Mal.); Jangli-hulvul, Choorai-ajwani, (Dec.) : Tinmani, Tilwan (GuzA Wal-aba, Ran-manissa (Sinhalese).
Habitat:—Throughout tropical and warm India; Bombay, Thana, Gujerat, Ceylon,
