100 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



At the 2nd Australasian Medical Congress, held at 

 Melbourne, in January 1889, Surgeon-Major K. R. Kirtikar 

 exhibited a specimen of oil obtained from the seeds of Cleome 

 viscosa, Linn, (prepared by the late Mr. Periera of the Bombay 

 Medical Stores), and made the following observations ou the 

 occasion. " The plant has a great reputation as a remedy for 

 chronic Otorrhoea. The action is chiefly antiseptic, as it contains 

 a powerful volatile principle, not unlike in smell to that of 

 mustard. This active principle has, besides, stimulating 

 properties." 



87. Gynandropsis pentaphylla, DC. h.f.b.i., 

 1.171. 



Syn. : — Cleome pentaphyla, Linn. ; Roxb. 500, 501. 



Sci72S. : — Surjavarta; Arkapushpika. 



Vern. : — Hurfmr, hulhul, karaila, churota (H.) ; Harhuriya 

 Kanala, bansarisha, arkahuli, Sadahurhidia (B.) ; Setakata arak, 

 Guma (Santal.) ; kathal parhar (U. P.); Halhal (Dec); kinro, 

 (SindJ, Tilavana, mabli (Mar.) : velai, neivaylla, kadughu (Tarn.) ; 

 Vaminta, vela-kura, (Tel.); tai-vela, kara-vela, vela (Malay.) 



Habitat : — A common weed throughout the warm parts of 

 India. Very common in Ceylon in waste and cultivated ground. 



An erect, branched annual 2-4 ft. Stem shaggy with 

 long, white, spreading hair. Leaves 5-foliate, leaflets sessile, 

 broadly ovate, acute, entire, pubescent on both sides and 

 ciliate, pale beneath, terminal largest, 1J-2 in. ; petiole 2 in., 

 stout, hairy and rough with prickles ; flowers at first distinctly 

 corymbose, afterwards in long erect racemes, bracts of 3 sessile 

 leaflets, many empty. Pedicels over \ in., viscoid, pubescent ; 

 sepals narrowly lanceolate, acute gladular-pubescent ; petals 

 rotund ate, with a long narrow claw thrice the length of sepals, 

 all curved upward ; stamens inserted about half-way up ; ovary 

 on summit of a gynophore, linear-oblong, very glandular ; style 

 0, stigma capitate, flat ; ovules numerous ; pods 2-3 in., linear, 

 slightly curved, somewhat compressed, viscid, pubescent. Seeds 

 helicoid-reniform, rough, dark brown (Trimen). 



