4 GERANIACEZ. 247 
4 in dysentery and prolapsus of the rectum. (Hindu Materia 
_ Medica, Dutt.) Chakradatta gives the ‘following formula for 
preparing a ghrita with the herb: Changert ghrita—Take of 
clarified butter 4 seers, curdled milk (dadhi) 16 seers, leaves 
_ of Ovxalis corniculata beaten into a paste 1 seer. Boil together 
in the usual way, and prepare a ghrita. The fresh herb 
made into a poultice with hot water is used as a healing 
application to various eruptions in the Madras Presidency. In 
the Concan the plant is rubbed down with water, boiled, and 
the juice of white onions added : this mixture is applied to the 
‘head in bilious headache. Mahometan writers briefly notice 
the plant as being used bythe Hindus. Ainslie describes it, 
and mentions it use as a cooling medicine in doses of two 
teaspoonfuls twice a day. The plant is a native of Europe, : 
and is called pooxopiAto in modern Greek. In Réunion it is 
considered a laxative, and is called Petit tréfle. es 
va 
Ste PE ae 
RRA ee eee Lee Ae 
ae a 
Description —0. corniculata is one of the most trouble-. _ 
- Some garden weeds in India; the stems are decumbent, 
rooting; leaves palmately trifoliolate; leaflets obcordate, 
. pubescent ; peduncles 2 to 5-flowered ; flowers yellow, capsule 
_ linear, oblong, many-seeded, densely pubescent ; seeds trams- 
versely ribbed. All parts of the plant have an acid taste. - 
Ph a 
ees gt ior aes 
Chemical composition.—The different species of Oxalis con- 
tain acid potassium oxalate. 
Biophytum Sensitivum, DO. Bot. Reg. vart., t. 68, e 
is a native of Tropical India, Asia, Africa and America. are 
Vernacular.—Lajri (Mar.), Zavir (Guz.), Lajalu (Hind.). — a 
This plant is used in incantations. Rumphius sub yoee 
Gallinaria says of it—‘“Ipse enim Acosta narrat et declarat 
doctum Bracmanem ipsi spopondisse sub conditione magnt 
certaminis, sese per hanc herbulam effecturum ut mulier, quam 
 desideraret, illam sequeretur, ille autem tam honestus or it ul 
_ hasce artes Christianis vetitas, nollet addiscere, nec 
suis inserere.”? Rheede says of it, “the seeds are red 
a 
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