BORAGINBE. 525 
HELIOTROPIUM INDICUM, Linn. » 
Fig.—Wight Il., t. 171; Rheede, Hort. Mal. «., 48. 
e Padian Turnsole (Eng.). tos 
Hab.—Throughout ae ae The herb,. 
Vernacular-—HAthi-shtra (Hind.), Hatistira (Beng.), Bhi- 
rindi (Mar.), Tét-kodukki (Tam.), Télumani, Nagadanti (Tel), 
Tél-kotukka, Teliyanni (Mal.), Hathi-sundhéna (Guz.). 
‘History, Uses, &c.—This plant i is the Hasti-sunda of 
‘Sanskrit writers, it isalso called Sri-hastini, from its being held 
in the hand of Sri or Lakshimi; it appears to be very generally 
used as an astringent and vulnerary in different parts of the 
world, It is the Bena Patsja of Rheede. Ainslie describes 
it under the name of Heliotropium indicum, Of its medicinal 
The juice of the leaves of this plant, which isa little bitter, 
th: native practitioners apply to painful gum boils, and to 
repel pimples on the face; it is also prescribed as an external 
application to that species of ophthalmia in which the tarsus is 
inflamed or excoriated. The Heliotropium indicum is also a 
native of Cochin-China and of the West Indies; in the rai 
mentioned country the natives call it Cay-boi-boi. ‘OF 
virtues, Loureiro says :—‘ Folia istius herb contusa maximé 
conducunt ad inajores anthraces, vel, quando incipiunt, resol- - 
endos, vel postea suppurandos.’ (Flor. Coch.-Chin., Vol. I., : 
p. 103.) It is well described by Browne, in his History of 
maica (p. 150), and I find Barham (p. 42) tells us that it 
cleans and consolidates wounds and ulcers, and that boiled with 
castor oil it relieves the pain from the sting of a scorpion, and 
cures the bite of a mad dog!” (Mat. Indica, Vol. LL., p. 414.) 
In India also the plant is used as a local application to boils, 
Sores, and the stings of insects and reptiles. 
Description —An annual plant common in ditches where | 
e soil is rich,’ The whole plant is more or less covered with 
hairs, stems several, as thick as the little finger, hollo’ 
sched from the axils of the leaves ; leaves cena ern 
