Used by natives as an astringent for cleansing foul ulcers, and for allaying irritation of the gums and checking diarrhœa during teething of children (Murray, 195).
Those who have written upon Indian drugs, say little about this resin, although it is an article of commerce, and can always be obtained in quantity. Recently it has attracted attention in Europe, and has been examined by Stenhouse, Groves and Fluckiger (Dymock).
The drug is considered antispasmodic and carminative, and, when applied externally, antiseptic and stimulating. Said to be a successful anthelmintic in cases of round worm (Watt).
The powdered gum-resin is said to have diaphoretic and expectorant properties, used internally in guinea-worm, dose from 2 to 16 grains ("Surgeon Joseph Parker, in Watt's Dictionary).
604. G. turgida, Roxb. h.f.b.l, iii. 118 ; Roxb. 439.
Vern. : — Thanella, khûrûr khuriari, ghurga, mhaner (H.) ; Bamemia, dhobel kirat (Uriya) ; Karhar, duduri (Kol.) ; Phurpata (Kurku) ; Dandu kit, dondonki (Santal) ; Panjra. pendra (Gond.) ; Karumba (Raj.); Karhâr; Khemra (C. P.); Khur-phendra, pendri, phanda, phetra (Mar.) ; Phetrak (Bhil.) ; Manjunda, telel (Tel.) ; Bongeri (Kan.).
Habitat : — Tropical Himalaya ascending to 4,000 ft., from Kumaon to Bhotan, Oudh, Behar, Chota Nagpore, Bombay, Central and Southern India, also in Burma.
A small-deciduous tree, 25ft. Bark smooth, bluish — grey, 1/5in. thick, compact. Wood close-grained, white, with a purplish tinge, no heart wood (Gamble). Branches rigid, robust, armed with strong, axillary, often leaf-bearing, spines. Leaves often crowded at ends of branchlets, l-4in. long, obovate, narrowed into short marginate petiole, tomentose or pubescent above, when mature. Flowers white, fragrant. Corolla-tube ⅓-½in. long. Fertile flowers solitary, sessile. Calyx-lobes oblong, sterile clustered in short pedicels. Calyx-teeth minute, sometimes unequal. Fruit grey,
