56 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



nerves and reticulated veinlets very prominent beneath. Petioles 

 3-4 in. Flowers sessile in small dense rounded heads, which 

 are long-stalked and umbellately or racemosely arranged in the 

 axils of the leaves. Pedicels yellow-tomentose ; bracts beneath 

 the flowers numerous, small, imbricated. Sepals rounded, 

 persistent. Petals ovate, spreading. Female fl. :— Carpels hairy, 

 styles filiform, reflexed. Ripe carpels (Drupes) l-3 5 globose, 

 f in., densely tomentose, brown. 

 Part used :— ~ The root. 



Use : — The root is extensively used in the hospitals of the 

 Madras Presidency as an efficient bitter tonic. A writer, quoted 

 by Christie, says of Ceylon that this root is viewed " as a very 

 good substitute for Calumba. 1 have used it with good results 

 in the form of tincture and infusion. It has also antiseptic pro- 

 perties to a great extent, and can be used for dressing wounds 

 and ulcers." The wood is of a bright yellow colour, and is 

 valued as a bitter tonic by the Sinhalese. 



Dr. Moodeen Sheriff considered the action of the drug to be 

 "antipyretic, antiperiodic, tonic and stomachic," and useful 

 " in slight cases of continued and intermittent fevers, debility, 

 and certain forms of dyspepsia. It may be used in place of 

 Cinchona, Gentian or Calumba, called " False Calumba." A 

 yellow dye is also obtained from it. — Trimen. "Used in 

 diabetes, and also in cases of suppression of lochia." (Watt). 



43. Cocculus villosus, DC. h.f.b.i., i. 10L 



Syn. ' — Menispeimum hirsutum, Linn; Holopeira villosa, 

 leviscula and auriculata, Miers. 



In the Concan the Voids give this plant the Sanskrit name 

 of Vana-tiktika. Pdtdlgarudi, Vatsadani (Sansk.). 



Vern. : — Jamti-ki-bel, hier. dier, (H.) ; Kursan, Zamir iSind) ; 

 Vasana-vela Hundir, Tdnvel (Mar.) ; Wassan-wel, parwell, 

 (Bomb.); Vevdi (Guj) Vadhino vel (Porebunder) Kattukkodi 

 (Tarn.) ; Dusari-tige, Chipura-tige, Katletige /Pel.). 



Habitat: — Throughout tropical and sub-tropical India, from 



