It is used as a tonic and believed to possess expectorant properties (S. Arjun).
Chemical composition. -The plant contains an alkaloid soluble in ether, which fails to afford any special colour reactions ; its solution is not precipitated by chromates. It is not bitter. There is nothing else in the plant of special interest.
852. Cuscuta reflexa, Roxb. h.f.b.l, iv. 225 ; Roxb. 150.
Sans. : — Amaravêla.
Vern. : — Haldi-algusi-latâ. Algusi (B.) ; Alagjari (Santal.) ; Nilâthâri, virâdhar, âmil, zarbuti (Pb.) ; Bazar names of the seed: — A'kâsbel, âftimûn, kasus (H. and Pb.) ; Akaspawan, Amarwêl (Dec.) ; Akaswl (Guz.) ; Ninnuli Âkashwêl (Mar.) ; Sitama purgonalu ; Sitamma pôgu nulu (Tel.).
Habitat : — Common throughout India ; abundant in Bengal Plains.
A leafless, twining parasite, with stout fleshy branches forming dense yellow masses on low and tall trees and shrubs, with greenish white waxy or yellow fragrant, flowers shortly stalked crowded in numerous clusters or racemes, 5-merous. Recemes l-4in. long. Pedicels 0-£in., often verrucose. Bracts 1/20in. Sepals 1/10in., nearly distinct, ovate. Corolla campanuate, ldeciduous ¼-⅓ by 1/6in., subcylindric, lobes short, triangular, reflexed ; scales remote from the filaments, prominent, emarginate, fimbriate. Stigmas 2, long, acute, wide apart, lanceolate. Styles very stout. Capsule i-|in., fleshy, acute when unripe, circumciss near the base when mature, subquadrate obtuse, tough, fleshy, 4-seeded. Kanjilal makes the following remarks :— " The leafless character is carried even to the embryo which is destitute of cotyledons. The seed germinates on the ground, but the plant does not seem to derive much nourishment from it, its growth being sustained, for the little while it is obliged to shift for itself, by the fleshy albumen in which the. germ-plant is imbedded in the seed. As soon as the seedling twines itself round a woody plant, it developes several thick sucker-like haustoria along the surface of contact, which, penetrating the bark of
