Vern. : — Ardanda (H. Sindh. and Deck.), Ulta-Kanta, bipuwa-Kanta (Kumaon); His, Karvila, hiungarna (Pb.); Karralurra (Oudh); Katerni (Gond.); gitoran (Ajmere). Burn asaria, Bagni, Bagnei Baguchi (Santal.); Bagrani (Monghyr); Oseriva (Uriya); Wâgatti, wâg, Tarti, Taranti (Bomb); gowindi (Mar;); Atanday, attandax, Katalli Kai {Tam.); Adonda, arudonda (Tel.).
Habitat : — Gangetic Valley, as far north as Saharunpore; Western Peninsula and Chittagong, Ceylon, Malaya and the Philippines.
A climbing shrub, with long divaricate branches, young shoots, with rufous scurfy tomentum. Leaves oval-lanceolate or oblong, obtuse, strongly apiculate, tomentose when young, afterwards glabrous and shining; petioles short, stipular spines recurved. Flowers rather large, 1½ in. diam.; supra- axillary, solitary or 2 or 3 together, above one another, in a vertical line; peduncle ½-¾ in., tomentose. Sepals rufous-tomentose outside. Petals twice as long, hairy. Stamens much longer than petals, Gynophore 1 in.; Ovary ovoid, apiculate, with 4 placentas. Fruit subglobose, 1¼ in. diam., on a greatly thickened stalk, many-seeded. Petals white, stamens crimson.
Parts used : — The leaves, root, and root-bark.
Uses : — In Northern India, the leaves are used as a counter-irritant and as a cataplasm in boils, swellings and piles (Atkinson.)
In Chutia Nagpur, the bark, along with native spirit, is given in cholera (Rev. A. Campbell.)
In Madras, a decoction of the leaves is used in syphilis, (Surg-Major Thompson). Watt II. 132.
The root-bark is sedative, stomachic and anti-idriotic; the leaves also slightly stomachic. The root-bark is useful in relieving some of the symptoms of gastric irritation, as vomiting and pain, and in improving appetite. It has also proved itself useful in a few cases of excessive perspiration, which it checked to a great extent. The leaves also possess the property of improving the appetite (Moodeen Sheriff).
