PTEROCARPUS ERINACEUS 93 



The roasted seeds used as a purgative are so trustworthy that 

 they deserve the further attention of physicians. 



Botanical Description. — A vine very well known by its 

 blue flowers. Leaves alternate with 3 pairs of oval leaflets. 

 Stipules persistent. Flowers axillary, solitary, 1—1 \' in long 

 diameter. Calyx in 5 acute divisions, the two upper ones 

 smaller. Corolla papilionaceous. Standard open, notched at 

 the end. Keel shorter than the wings and covered by them. 

 Stamens 10, 9 united and 1 free. Stigma downy, thick. Pod 

 full of short hairs, with more than 6 surrounded with a tow- 

 like substance, reniform, with black spots. 



Habitat. — Common along the roads and in gardens. Flow- 

 ers in July and November. 



1. Pterocarpus santalinus, L. 1 



Nom. Vulg. — Narva, Naga, Tag. ; Apalit, Daytanag, Pam. ; 

 Red Saunders or Red Sandalwood Tree, Eng. 



2. P. Indicus, Willd. (P. pallida*, Blanco.) 

 Nom. Vulg. — Asana, Tag.; Naga, Vis. 



3. P. erinaceus, Poir. (P. echinatus, Pers. & DC.) 



Nom. Vulg. — Asana, Narra, Tag. 



Uses. — The wood of the first is the so-called " red sandal- 

 wood. " It is used for building purposes and, in medicine, as 

 an astringent. In decoction it is used as a gargle for sore 

 throat. The second is also an excellent building material and 

 is used medicinally for its astringent properties. A decoction 

 of sufficient strength to color the water a light blue is used as a 

 mouth wash in toothache and has some reputation as a solvent 

 of vesical calculi. All three species yield a resin known in phar- 

 macy under the name of " kino." The true gum kino is really 



1 Official in the U. S. P. under the name of Santalum rubrum, and used 

 only for coloring alcoholic solutions. 



