N. O. MENISPERMACE^. 61 



48. Cissampelos Pareira, Linn, h.f.b.l, i. 103. 



Sansk. : — Laghu Patha ; Ambashtha, Brihattikta (very 

 pungent), Prachinambastika (Eastern Ambastika), Rasa (juicy), 

 Varatikta (very pungent), Papanelil (creeper of sin), Sreysi 

 (auspicious), Vridhakarnika (long-eared). 



Vern. : — Kardhiyun-bang (Poreb) Akanadi ; dakb, nirbisi, 

 pari harjeuri (EL); Akanadi, nemuka (Pi. ; Tejo mulla (Santal); 

 Batulpoti (Nepal); Katori, tikri, parbik, pataki, bat bel, Zakhmi 

 baiyat, batindu path (leaves) pilijari, pilajur (root) <Pb.); Nirbisi 

 (root) (Dek.) ; Venivel (Guj and Bomb.) ; Pa ray el (Goa) ; 

 Po-musbtie, pun-musbtie; Pahadvel, pabadmul (Bomb.); Vata 

 tirupie (Tarn.) ; Pata (Tel.). Padavali (Kan.). (Pari kuman)Pabre 

 (Dun). Diya-mitta (Sinhalese). 



Habitat:— Tropical and sub-tropical India, from Sindh and 

 the Pan jab to Ceylon, up to 4,000 ft. In India ascending up to 

 6,000 ft. Cosmopolitan, common in the valleys of Simla and 

 Dun. 



A climbing, softly pubescent shrub. A lofty climber (Hk. 

 and Th.J, with herbaceous or slender woody branches, on a very 

 short stout stem. Trimen says it is a woody twiner, usually of 

 small size, with straggling branches, long shoots pubescent or 

 tomentose. Wood brown, divided by very broad medullary rays 

 and regular concentric bands of similar texture into small 

 rectangular divisions, each with two to eight small to very large 

 pores. The stem yields strong fibres, which are made into ropes. 

 Leaves orbicular or broadly ovate, 1-4 in. across, peltate or 

 cordate, obtuse and mucronate, rarely acute ; base sometimes 

 truncate. Petiole equalling the leaf, or longer. Flowers greenish- 

 yellow, small. Male-flowers:— on stalked branched cymes, 

 clustered in leaf-axils, or borne on long axillary raceme-like 

 shoots, each cyme in the axil of a small leaf-like bract. 

 Sepals 4, hairy, ovate, spreading. Petals united into a 

 shallow 4-lobed cup. Stamens 4, filaments united into a very 

 short column, top dilated, peltate ; anthers sessile round the 

 margin. Female flowers : — clustered in axils of orbicular bracts 

 crowded on long solitary racemes. Sepal one, pubescent, broadly 

 ovate. Petal one, opposite the sepal, similar, but smaller and 



