698. Launea asplenifolia, DC. h.f.b.l, iii. 415 ; Roxb. 594.
Vern. : — Tik-chanâ (B.) ; Birrualla (Santali).
Habitat : — Plains of India, from the Punjab to Assam, and southwards to the Sunderbuns, Circars, Andamans, &c.
Biennial or perennial, glabrous herb, with juice yellow, Leaves 3-6in., sessile or shortly petioled, narrowly obovate, lobes minutely toothed. Radical leaves sinuate-lobed or pinnatifid, cauline few. Flowering stems many from the root, ascending almost naked, 6-18in., long ; branches dichotomous, divaricating. Heads ½in. terminal paniculate, peduncles bracteate. Bracts one or two, subulate. Involucre-bracts quite glabrous, small ; inner linear, margins membranous. Achenes not winged, minute 1/12in., pale, very narrow. Pappus white soft, ⅓-in., diciduous, hairs about equal length, with no stronger inner ones (J. D. Hooker).
Use :— The root of this plant, along with that of uttri dudhi, pounded and boiled in mustard oil, is given as a lactagogue by the Santals (Revd. A. Campbell).
699. L. nudicaulis, Lees, h.f.b.l, iii. 416 ; Roxb. 593,
Vern. : — Batthal, dûdhlak, tariza, spûdukei (Pb.).
Habitat :-— Throughout the plains of India.
A glabrous, perennial herb, with yellow juice. Stems tufted, usually decumbent, numerously branching, 6-24in. Roots with yellow juice ; the stems are naked, or with a few small leaves below the flower-clusters. Leaves 2-10 by l-3in., usually sessile, sinuate lobed, pinnatifid or runcinate (J. D. Hooker); lobes irregularly lobulate and sharply toothed, teeth often white and cartilaginous. Flowering stems usually very numerous, 6-24in. long, spreading on all sides, stout or slender, simple or branched. Heads ½-⅔in. long, clusters of 2-5 or about 10, rarely solitary, forming much interrupted racemes, or crowded together at the end of branches. Involucre-bracts overtopping the pappus. Achenes much shorter than the pappus (Collett), 1/12in., very
