40 THE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE PHILIPPINES 



bazars under the name of Nag-Kasar or Nagesur, which is used 

 as a mild stimulant, but especially as a perfume. 



A dark oil is expressed from the seeds, its density 0.954 and 

 its solidifying point 5 above zero. In northern Canara it is 

 used locally in rheumatism. The incised root bark exudes a 

 resinous sap which is a good bitter tonic. The infusion of the 

 wood is equally good. The dried flowers, finely powdered and 

 mixed with oil or lard make a useful ointment for acute hemor- 

 rhoids. The fruit is acrid and purgative. 



BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION. A tree with leaves long-petioled, 

 oblong, lanceolate, acuminate, rounded at the base, thick, coria- 

 ceous, upper surface lustrous, lower surface greenish or covered 

 with a waxy, ash-colored powder. Flowers terminal or axil- 

 lary, solitary, yellowish. Calyx 4 imbricated sepals, orbicu- 

 late, slightly pubescent. Corolla 4 persistent petals, wedge- 

 shaped, short, with rounded points. Stamens indefinite, free, 

 in 56 series. Ovary free, 2-celled, each cell containing 2 

 ovules. Style bilobed. Fruit nearly unilocular, ovate, acumi- 

 nate, encompassed at its base by the sepals, the lower part of 

 the petals, and crowned by the style. Pericarp woody, dehis- 

 cent at the tip by 2-4 valves ; contains 1-4 seeds, slightly or- 

 biculate, coriaceous. 



HABITAT. Common in the forests. 



DIPTEROCARPEJE. 



Dipterocarpus turbinatus, Gaertn. (D. Indicus, Bedd.; D. 

 MayapiSj Blanco.) 



NOM. VULG. Mdyapis, Tag.; Gurjvn, Kanym, Indo-Eng. 



USES. This tree yields an oleo resin, used in medicine and 

 known under the name of bdlsamo de gurjun. Other species 

 of Dipterocarpus (D. alatus, Roxb.; D. incanus, Roxb.; D. 

 trinervis, Bl., etc., etc.) produce the same substance. Balsam 

 of Gurjun is a stimulant of the mucous membranes, especially 



