Dr. Mootooswamy lias seen the natives using the leaves soaked in goat's urine or in onion juice for dropsy ; sometimes chebulic myrobalans are added if the bowels are costive.
A small or medium-sized deciduous tree ; branchlets and young leaves pubescent or velvety. Leaves membranous, drying black, 3-6'in. long broadly ovate, sharply acuminate, usually quite entire, base cuneate ; upper surface glabrous when mature, the lower hairy especially on the midrib, petioles ½-¾in. long. Corymbs broad, usually terminating short leafy branchlets, rusty pubescent. Calyx 5-toothed, clothed with spreading hairs. Corolla greenish-white, 1/6in. long, pubscent within. Drupe globose, verrucose.
Use :— The milk of the bark is applied to boils, and the juice is given to cattle in colic (Atkinson). The juice is applied medicinally in the Punjab (Stewart).
954. P. esculenta, Roxb., h.f.b.i. iv., 580 ; Roxb. 485.
Habitat : —Assam and Chittagong. A cultivated plant.
A short-stemmed entirely glabrous shrub ; branching, 6-8ft. Leaves 6J by 3in., obovate or elliptic-acuminate, sharply serrate, base entire, cuneate suddenly narrowed, sometimes very shortly cordate, mature glabrate, nerves 5 pair ; petiole ¼in., slender obscurely puberulous. Corymbs compact, nearly glabrous, 2½in. diam., short-peduncled, globose many-fid ; bracts 1/16in., linear. Calyx 1/16in., cup-shaped, obscurely puberulous ; minutely 5-toothed somewhat enlarged, more distinctly toothed in fruit. Corolla ⅛in., yellowish white, 2-tipped, throat hairy. Drupe 1/6in , globose or somewhat obovoid, usually 3-4 seeded.
Use : — The natives of Chittagong employ the leaves medicinally (Roxb.).
955. P. herbacea, Roxb. h.f.b.i., iv. 581 ; Roxb. 485.
Habitat: — Subtropical Himalaya, from Kumaon to Bhotan. S. Deccan Peninsula.
Sans. : — Bhumijambu, bhumi-jamberka.
