202 RUBIACE, 
MUSSAZNDA FRONDOSA, Linn. 
Fig.—Wight Ill. t. 124; Rheede Hort. Mal. ti., t. 18, 
Hab.—Tropical Himalaya, Western Peninsula. Leaves, . 
fruit, flowers and root. 
Vernacular.—Bebina, Sribar (Hind.), Srivadi (Mal.), Vella- 
ellay (Tam.), Srivar, Srivardoli, Bhétkes, Lavasat (Mar.), Asari 
(Nipal). 
History, Uses, &c.—This is a well-known scandent 
shrub, and easily recognised by its orange-coloured flowers, which | 
contrast prettily with the white calycine leaf, making it a very 
remarkable object. All the flowers do not produce this leaf-like - 
-sepal, but two or three in each corymb, and occasionally two 
sepals are thus developed. M. frondosa is called Srivati in 
Sanskrit, and is a favourite of the goddess of fortune, from its 
bearing the white mark of Vishnu or Krishna; another name 
for it is Nagavalli. Among the Tamil people it is called the 
*‘white-rag plant.” The flowers are used in country places to n 
make the garland which is tied over the doorway on festive 
occasions. The rootin 80-grain doses is given with cow’s urine 
as a remedy for jaundice (pandu-roga), or two tolas (360 grains) 
of the white leaves may be given in milk. The juice of the 
leaves and fruit, which is very mucilaginous, is used as an eye 
wash. Rheede says:—The root in decoction expels phlegm, 
externally applied it is cooling, boiled in oil it cures aphthe. 
According to Loureiro, the flowers aro attenuant and diuretic, 
and are used in cough, asthma, ague, and flatulence; exter 
nally applied they clean foul ulcers, and cure skin eruptions. 
In Mauritius a species of Mussanda is called * wild cinchona” 
and is ased as a tonic. 
Chemical composition.—A_ bitter principle, having the 
peculiarities of a glucoside, pervades all parts of this plant- 
It was soluble in water and rectified spirit, afforded a reddish 
brown colour with sulphuric acid, passing from a fine red 
to a purple, and was not preeipitated by alkaloidal reagents | 
or by tannin. Evaporated with an excess of hydrochlori¢ 
