161. Pavonia odorata, Willd. h.f.b.l, i. 331. Roxb. 530.
Sans. : — Bâlâ Heivera.
Vern. : — Sugandha-bálá(H.) ; Kala-válá (Bomb.) ; Perámutiver paramutha, mudda pulagam (Tam.); Erra kuti (Tel.); Bálarakkasi, gida (Kan.); Kalo Walo (Guj.).
Habitat : — North- West Provinces, Sindh, Banda and Western Peninsula.
An erect herbaceous plant, with sticky hairs, glandular, pubescent. Leaves 2½ by 3in., cordate-ovate, with 3-5 shallow pointed lobes ; lower petioles longer than the blades. Peduncles as long as the leaves, 1-flowered, clustered at the ends of the branches. Bracteoles 10-12, linear. Sepals lanceolate. Corolla pink, twice as long as the Calyx. Carpels obovoid, dehiscent, unarmed, wingless. Styles 10. Stigmas capitate ; ovule one in each cell. Ripe carpels separating from the axis. Seeds ascending.
Part used : — The root.
Use : — The root is fragrant and aromatic, and possesses cooling and stomachic properties ; used in fever, inflammation and hæmorrhage from internal organs (U. C. Dutt). According to Taylor, the root is prescribed as an astringent and tonic in cases of dysentery.
The therapeutic properties of the root are probably due to the carminative quality of the odorous matter it contains, together with the mucilaginous character commonly met with in members of N. 0. Malvaceæ.
162. Hibiscus fureatus, Roxb., h.f.b.l, i. 335. Roxb. 527.
Vern. : — Huligowri (Kan.) ; Napiritta (Sinhalese).
Habitat : — Hotter parts of India, from Bengal to Ceylon.
A large, scrambling or climbing, semi-shrubby perennial ; stems more or less tomentose or glabrous, set with numerous
