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INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS.


sepals elliptic or obovate, suddenly spinulose and densely hairy in fruit ; thickened , very hairy upwards, with a mucro. Corolla 1/5in., densely hairy in bud, white, with brown or purple spots in the palate. Stamens glabrous, anther-cells one slightly above the other, papillose, ciliate. Ovary glabrous. Capsule ¼in., 2- seeded, elongate conic, dorsally scarious, thin, irregularly tearing, only ultimately 2-valved from the subsolid tip. Seeds ovate- lanceolate, with very long hair, spreading elastically when wet, very mucilaginous (C.B. Clarke).

Uses : — A bitter herb used in fevers (Sakharam Arjun). The ash of the dry plant is employed in Chutia Nagpur as an application to sores (Revd. A. Campbell). It is applied to cure itchy affections of the skin (Dymock).


933. Justicia Gendarussa, Linn. f. h.f.b.l, iv. 532, Roxb. 43.

Syn. : — Gendarussa vulgaris, Nees.

Sans. : — Nil-nirgandi.

Vern. ' — Udí-sanbhálá, nílí-nargandi (Hind.) ; Jagat-madan, jogmodon (Beng.) ; Teo, kala-adulsa (Bomb.) ; Kalíshanbálí (Dec); Karu-noch-chi, karuppu-noch-chi (Tam.); Néla-vávili, nalla-noch-chi, nalla-vávili (Tel.) ; Karelakki-gidá (Kan.) ; Karun-noch-chi, váták-koti, vátan-golli (Mal.)

Habitat : — Throughout India, from Bengal to Ceylon.

A perennial, much branched, undershrub. Stems 2-4ft., erect, quadrangular, thickened above the nodes, glabrous, purple. Leaves 4 by ¾in., sometimes 5in. long, linear lanceolate, acute at base, tapering to obtuse apex, entire or slightly and irregularly crenate, glabrous and shining, rather thick, veins prominent beneath, purple. Petiole ¼in. Flowers rather small, white or pink, with minute red dots in the throat and lip, in opposite clusters of three short interrupted sessile terminal spikes, lower clusters usually distant. Bracts ¼in., linear, acute. Bracteoles 0. Sepals 1/6in., linear, subulate, glabrous. Corolla nearly glabrous ; tube ⅜in., upper lip notched, lower lip transversly rugose. Fruit not seen, says Triman, from Ceylon. "Lower anther-cell distinctly tailed. Capsule ½in., clavate, glabrous, 4-seeded" (C.B,. Clarke),