N. 0. EUPHORBIACEÆ. 1161
Habitat : — A small annual shrub occurring as a weed in gardens and road-sides throughout India.
A pubescent, herbaceous, erect annual, l-3ft. Branches numerous, long, ascending, angular, finely pubescent. Leaves l½-3in, rhomboid-ovate, tapering at base, acute, serrate, glabrous, thin, somewhat 3-nerved at base, pale-green. Petiole usually longer than leaves, slender, spreading. Stipules minute. Flowers sessile, green, in numerous lax, erect, axillary spikes ; males very small, clustered near summit. Stamens 8 ; females solitary, scattered, each with a large, leafy, truncate, dentate bract. Ovary hispid. Capsule small, quite concealed by enlarged bract, often only 1-seeded. Seed ovoid, acute, smooth.
A common weed flowering all the year round.
Uses : — There is no mention of this plant in Sanscrit works on Medicine. It is used as expectorant as a substitute for senega. It has also a diuretic action. It is a useful remedy for bronchitis, asthma and pneumonia ; also for rheumatism. It was formerly employed as a purgative and anthelmintic.
" The roots, leaves, and tender shoots are all used in medicine by the Hindus. The powder of the dry leaves is given to children in worm cases, also a decoction prepared from the leaves with the addition of a little garlic. The juice of the same part of the plant, together with that of the tender shoots, is occasionally mixed with a small portion of margosa oil, and rubbed on the tongues of infants for the purpose of sickening them and clearing their stomachs of viscid phlegm. The hakims prescribe the koopamaynee in consumption." (Ainslie, Mat. Ind. II., 16 L.) " The leaves with garlic are regarded as anthelmintic ; mixed with common salt the leaves are applied externally in scabies, and the juice rubbed up with oil is used externally in rheumatism." (Balf. Cycl.) According to Rheede, the root is used as a purgative on the Malabar Coast. (Hort. Mai, X, 161.) This property " is confirmed by Dr. H. E. Busteed, who has used it as a laxative for children." A contributor in Dacca informs me he uses it as a laxative, and in an official correspondence with the Government of India, Rai Kanai Lai De, Bahadur, includes the muktajhuri amongst emetics. In
