App. C. NYCTAGINACEiE— EUPHORBIACE^. 563 



powdered and taken in water. Pillows stufled with them arc used to cure 

 cold in tlie head, and headaclie. It is a decumbent slirub, with the 

 branches, under side of the leaves, and inflorescence mealy-white. There 

 are two varieties : one with trifoliate and the other with simple leaves. 

 Its Tamul name is " Neer-noocliie ; " its Telinf];a, " Neela vavilie ; " and 

 its Hindustauee, " Nisindha," or " Seduari." 



ViTEX Negundo, Linn. 



This species is considered to have medicinal properties similar to but 

 weaker than the last. The decoction of the root has a pleasant bitter taste, 

 and is administered in cases of intermittent and typhus fever. In Tamul 

 it is called "Noochie;" in Telinga, " Wayalakoo ; " in Hindustance, 

 " Nisunda ; " and in Cinghalese, " Sooddoo-nikka." It is a more erect 

 shrub than the last, and its leaves are all compound, consisting of from 

 three to five entire or toothed or deeply pinnatifid leaflets, covered with 

 white meal underneath, as also are the branches and flowers. 



NYCTAGINACE^. 

 BoEEHAAViA DIFFUSA, Linn. (== Bocrhaavia procumbens, Roxb.). 



The roots of several species of Boerhaavia are employed medicinally by 

 the natives of various parts of the world. In India those of the present 

 have the reputation of being antifebrile, and Ainslie also says that the 

 native practitioners include them amongst their laxative medicines. This 

 plant is a herbaceous perennial with decumbent, smooth, or rarely pubescent 

 stems and leaves, the latter varying very much in shape. Among the 

 Bengalese it is known by the name of " Gadha-poorna ; " and it is the 

 " Pittasooddopala " of the Cinghalese. Its leaves are eaten as a potherb. 



EUPHORBIACE^. 



Tragia cannabina, Willd. 



" Sirroo canchorie " in the Tamul ; and " Doolya-gunda " in tlie Telinga 

 language. The root of this plant has a pleasant odour when fresh : tlic 

 native doctors consider it to possess diaphoretic and alterative qualities, and 

 they prescribe an infusion of it in ardent fever. It is an erect shrub, about 

 four feet higli, with hispid stems and leaves, the latter being divided into 

 three sinuated lobes. Roxburgh says (hat the hairs on this plant sting as 

 bad as those of the commoii nettle. 



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