N. 0. TAMARlSCINEiE. 141 



obliquely truncate, apex triangular, acute, adpressed. Sheath 

 and apex with impressed glands. Flowers bisexual or monoe- 

 cious, loosely scattered on long slender spikes which are 

 generally collected at the ends of branches in loose panicles. 

 Bracts shorter than flowers; stamens 5. Disk entire or indis- 

 tinctly 5-lobed. Capsules i in. long. Flowering time, May to 

 September. The extremities of branchlets and the leaves 

 on older branchlets are shed during the cold season ; new shoots 

 and leaves come out about May. 



Parts used : — The bark and galls. 



Uses : -The galls are employed as an astringent (Royle). 

 The bark is bitter, astringent and probably tonic. (Ph. Ind.. 

 p. 20.) 



The bark powdered and, in combination with oil and 

 Kamala, is used as an aphrodisiac by the natives. It is also 

 employed as an application in eczema capitis, and other diseases 

 (Watt). 



124. Myricavia elegans, Boyle., h.f.b.l, i. 250. 



Vern. ;-Humbu? Umbu (Pb.) 



Habitat : — Western Himalaya from Garwhal to Ladak. 



A bush, with smooth, striate slender stem. Leaves oblong- 

 ovate or oblanceolate, narrowed at the base, often crowded. 

 Bracts, ovate, about twice as long as the pedicels, but short 

 acuminate, with narrowly membranous margins. Flowers 3 in., 

 lateral lax ; white (Brand is.) Sepals connate below, much short- 

 er than petals, obtusely triangular at apex. Stamens connate 

 for one- fourth of their length, 10, alternately long and short, 

 monadelphous. Ovary tapering, with 3 sessile stigmas; placentas 

 basal, very short, adnate to the middle of the valves ; ovules many. 

 Seeds exalbuminous, with a usually stalked plume. Embryo 

 ovoid. 



Use : — The leaves form an application to bruises, &c, in 

 Lahoul (Aitchison). 



