Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/559

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N. 0. LEGUMINOSÆ.
479


426 C. mimosoides, Linn, h.f.b.i., ii. 266.

Syn. : — S. sensitiva and S. tenella, Roxb. 355.

Vern. : — Patwa-ghâs (Santal).

Habitat : — The Himalayas.

A low, diffuse, perennial shrub, with slender, finely downy branches. Leaves l-3in. long, with a solitary, sessile gland on the rachis below the leaflets; leaflets 60-100, linear, rigidly coriaceous, 1-1/6in. long, obliquely raucronate, with the midrib close to the upper border ; stipules large, linear-subulate, persistent. Flowers 1-2 together in the axils of the leaves, on short pedicels. Sepals ⅛-¼in., lanceolate-acuminate, bristly. Corolla little exserted. Stamens 10, alternately long and short, rarely 5 of equal size ? (K. R. K.)- Pod strap-shaped, flat, dehiscent, 1½-2 by 1/6in., nearly straight, glabrescent or finely downy; Septa more or less oblique.

Hooker writes in Curtis' Botanical Magazine for December 1st, 1870 :—

" Cassia mimosoides is a rather common Asiatic or African tropical and sub-tropical plant, growing on dry banks, and presenting a beautiful appearance from the softness of its finely divided, bright green, feathery foliage, elegant habit, and the beauty of its golden flowers, which are abundantly produced and supported on Lair-like pedicels. Like so many tropical plants of wide distribution, it varies much,*®*"

Use : — The root is given for spasms in the stomach by the Santalis (Revd. A. Campbell, Santal, Watt II. 220).


427 Cynometra ramiflora, Linn, h.f.b.i., ii. 267.

Vern. : — Iripa (Mal) ; Shing (B.) Irapu (Tam.);.

Habitat : — The Western Peninsula and Malabar.

An evergreen, erect, unarmed tree. Bark smooth, wood brown red, hard, close-grained. Leaflets 1-2 pair, l-3in. long, more or less coriaceous, 1-jugate and 2-jugate, mixed or often all 1-jugate, sub-sessilely oblong, subacute, very oblique, 3-6in.