leaves and inflorescence densley tomentose or villous, or silkily woolly. Stem tall, corymbosely branched above. Sometimes this plant springs up gregariously in sites of previous temporary cultivation in the Eastern Himalaya and in the hill country, from thence to and through Burma. Leaves 4-10in., coriaceous, elliptic oblong-lanceolate, serrate, sometimes pinnatifid, narrowed into a usually auricled short petiole ⅓-1in. long. Heads yellow, ¼-⅓in. diam., sessile, densely clustered on the branches of a large terminal, spreading or pyramidal, leafy panicle. Involucre-bracts tomentose. Receptacle glabrous. Pappus red. Achenes 10-ribbed, silky.
The most arboreous of all the species, smelling strongly of camphor — J. D. Hooker.
Use : — A warm infusion, acts as a pleasant sudorific, and it is a useful expectorant as a decoction. (Watt.)
639. Pluchea indica, Less, h.f,b.i., iii. 272 ; Roxb. 601.
Vern : — Munghu rûkha ; Kukronda (B.).
Habitat : — Sunderbunds.
A low shrub, glabrous, or nearly so. It is an evergreen large shrub in the tidal and beach forests, from the Hughli round the coast of Chittagong, Arracan and Burma (Gamble), Leaves ovate obtuse more or less dentate, 1-2in., acute or apiculate, often gland-dotted. Narrowed into a short slender petiole. Corymbs pubescent. Heads ¼in. diameter, in compound terminal corymbs. Outer involucre-bracts broad, tips rounded. Flowers of disk hermaphrodite, of ray, female, numerous. Achenes minute, ribbed, nearly glabrous ; pappus scanty, white, spreading.
Use : — The root and leaves are employed medicinally in Patna as astringents and in cases of fever (Irvine).
640. P. lanceolata, Oliv. h.f.b.l, iii. 272.
Vern. : — Ra-sana (Pb.) ; Kourasana (Sind.) ; Marwande (Pushtu) ; Chota kalia (Raj.) Banserai (Aligarh) ; Choti Kalia (Agra) ; Sorahi (Cawnpore).
