there will be no confusion. C. serratum has a light-coloured root, very often contorted, and seldom more than an inch in diameter. A light brown epidermis and thin bark cover the tough woody portion, which shows well-marked medullary rays and concentric rings. The drug contains much starch, it is faintly bitter, and has no peculiar odour. The young tops and light blue flowers are used as a vegetable by the natives.
The root of C. serratum did not yield anything of great activity when examined chemically, which proves that there is little to recommend it as a medical agent."
965. C. infortunatum, Gœrtn., h.f.b.l, iv. 594.
Syn : — Volkameria infortunata, Roxb. 478.
Vern. :— Bhant, bhat (Hind.); Chitu (Nepal); Kadung (Lepcha) ; Lukunah (Mechi) ; Khaoung-gyee (Burm.); Peragoo (Mal.) ; Barangi (Punj.) ; Bakada (Tel.) ; Karu (Dehra Dun).
Habitat: — Very common in the warm region throughout India, from Gurhwal and Assam to Ceylon.
A shrub or small slender tree often gregarious 4-10ft. branchlets bluntly quadrangular, yellowish or white villous silky pubescent upwards.. Petioles, underside of leaves inflorescence slightly pubescent. Leaves large, 4-6in., ovate, cordate or rounded at base, acuminate, acute or sub-acute, entire, thinly hairy on both sides, especially on the veins beneath, somewhat 3-nerved from base, venation prominent beneath. Petiole l½-3in., Cylindric, pubescent. Flowers large, white pink-tinged, on rather long pedicels, cymes stalked, in large lax, pyramidal pubescent panicles. Bracts leafy, deciduous. Calyx ½in., silky pubescent, very much enlarged in fruit, segments deep, lanceo- late, very acute. Corolla-tube about 1in., slender, lobes, large, ½in., oblong, obtuse. Drupe fin. nearly globose, succulent, purplish black, shining, seated in centre of the very much enlarged, spreading, succulent bright pink Calyx, l½in. diam., pyrene usually solitary brittle (Trimen).
Uses: — "Dr. Bholanauth Bose calls attention to the leaves as a cheap and efficient substitute for chiretta as a tonic and antiperiodic. The fresh juice of the leaves is stated by Mr. Kanny Lall Dey to be employed by the natives as a vermifuge, and also as a bitter tonic and febrifuge in malarious fevers, especially in those of children " (Ph. Ind.). The leaves and
