N. 0. DATISCACEÆ.
556. Datisca cannabina, Linn, h.f.b.l, ii. 656.
Vern. : — Akalber (H.) ; Bhang jala. Bayr Bunja (Pb.) ; Voftangel, Teherg (Cashmere).
Habitat : — Tropical and sub-tropical western Himalaya, from Kashir to Nepal, Simla. Collett says it may occur in the Sutlej or Giri Valley.
A glabrous herb ; stem erect, robust, 2-6ft., branches flower-bearing, long. Stem-leaves alternate, pinnate 'lower ones the larger), 6-12in.; leaflets 5-11, shortly stalked, lanceolate, 6 by l½in , coarsely toothed, tip long pointed, entire. Leaves of branches alternate, linear-lanceolate, l-3in., toothed or entire ; stipules none. Flowers 1-sexual, regular, male and female on different plants, yellow, small, shortly-stalked, in numerous axillary clusters. Male flowers : — Calyx-tube vein short, limb 5-lobed ; petals none ; stamens sessile, anthers oblong, rather large, filaments very short. Female flowers : — Calyx-tube ovoid, obscurely 3-angled, adnate to the ovary, limb 3-toothed ; petals none ; ovary inferior, 1-celled ; styles ¼-3in. each divided nearly to the base in 2 linear stigmas ; ovules numerous attached to 3 placentas on the cell-wall. Capsule oblong, ⅓in. by less than ⅛in., opening at the top ; seeds numerous, minute Collett) and (C. B. Clarke).
Parts used : — The herb, roots and bark.
Use : — It is bitter and purgative, and is occasionally used if i fevers and in gastric and scrofulous complaints. In Khagan, the bruised root is applied to the head as a sedative. Madden states that under the name, Bujr Bunja, it is used medicinally in Kurnool (Stewart).
It may be administered in doses of from 5 to 15 grains in intermittents (Dymock).
Medicinally, it acts as a sedative in rheumatism (Watt).
Used as an expectorant in catarrh ; also locally to carious teeth (London Exliib. 1862) The bark also contains a bitter principle like quassia (Watt).
