

THE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE PHILIPPINES 



opposite the petals bearing anthers, 5 alternate without anthers. 

 Anthers dorsal, unilocular. Ovary pedunculate, lanceolate, 

 unilocular, with many ovules in 2 series, inserted on the parietal 

 placentae. Fruit a pod terminating in a beak, 3-valved. Seeds 

 numerous, very large, winged, embedded in a spongy substance. 

 Habitat. — Common throughout the islands. Blooms in 

 November. 



LEGUMINOSJE. (PAPILIONACEJE.) 



Pulse Family. 



Agati grandiflora, Desv. (Sesbania grandiflora, Pers.) 



Nom. Vulg. — Katuray, Tag. 



Uses. — The flowers are edible. They and the leaves are 

 purgative and are given in decoction for this purpose, 30-40 

 grams to 200 of water. The juice of the flowers is a popular 

 remedy in India, for migraine and coryza. The trunk bark is 

 bitter and tonic. 



Botanical Description. — A tree, 4-6 meters high, with 

 drooping limbs ; leaves long, very narrow, abruptly pinnate ; 

 many caducous leaflets, linear, elliptical. Flowers large, white, 

 fragrant, in axillary racemes. Calyx bell-shaped with two in- 

 distinct lips. Corolla papilionaceous, white. Standard oval, 

 a slight notch at the apex. Wings almost as large as the keel 

 which is strongly arched. Stamens 10, diadelphous. Anthers 

 uniform. Style and stamens equally long. Stigma a small 

 head. Pod 1-2° long, linear, 4-sided, containing many oval 

 seeds, separated by filamentous partitions. 



Habitat.— Grows in all sections of Luzon and Panay. 



Abrus precatorius, L. 



Nom. Vulg. — Saga, Sagamamin, Bagati, Tag.; Bagati Gi- 

 kosgikos, Vis.; Kanaasaga, Pam.; Bugayon, Hoc; Jequiriti, 

 Prayerbeads, Eng. 



