N. 0. GUTTIFEIUE. 155 



inconspicuous on both surfaces ; petiole i-Jin. Flowers very 

 fragrant, usually terminal and solitary or in pair, nearly sessile 

 bisexual, 3-4in. diam. Flowers, Feb-April. Sepals 4, in 2 rows, 

 thick orbicular, with membranous margins, inner pair largest. 

 Petals 4, imbricate, spreading cuneate obovate, pure white. 

 Stamens indefinite, Anthers as large, oblong, linear, basifixed, 

 golden yellow. Ovary 2-celled, 2 ovules in each cell ; style 

 filiform ; stigma peltate. Fruit pointed, conically ovoid, 1-l^in., 

 2-valved. Valves tough, supported by the enlarged sepals. Seeds 

 1-4, testa smooth, hard, shining, dark brown ; embryo a fleshy 

 homogeneous mass. 



Parts used- -The flowers, kernel, bark and leaves. 



Use. — The flowers are considered by the Hindu physicians 

 to have astringent and stomachic properties, A paste made 

 of the flowers with butter and sugar, is used in bleeding piles 

 and burning of the feet. (U. C. Dutt.) 



The flowers and leaves are used in Bengal as antidote to 

 snake poison (O'Shaughnessy). The bark is mildly astringent 

 and feebly aromatic (Dymock) ; the oil of the seeds is used as an 

 embrocation in rheumatism in North Canara (Ph. Ind., p. 32), 

 and found useful in the treatment of itch by K. L. Dey. 



In many localities, the flowers are used for cough, especially 

 wheu attended with much expectoration. Rheede states that 

 the bark is given as a sudorific combined with ginger. 



Moodeen Sheriff considers the flowers of Mesua fevrea 

 and Ochrocarpus longifolius to be stimulant and carminative 

 and useful in some forms of dyspepsia and in haemorrhoids. 



The seeds resemble chestnuts in colour and form. The 

 kernel yields 79*48 p.c. of a brown non-drying oil, partially 

 soluble in alcohol, and gives an orange coloration, with a mixture 

 of sulphuric and nitric acids. The residue contains 2414 p. c. 

 of proteins. (J. Ch. I, for Aug. 31, 1910, p. 1019.) 



The seeds are brown and generally pear shaped ; they consist of a shiny, 

 brittle, woody shell containing a single buff-colored kernel. Shell 34 per cent., 

 kernel 56 per cent, The kernels contain 76 per cent, of reddish brown oil 

 with a sweetish smell and slight bitter taste. The oil became semi-solid on 

 standing at 15° C. Sp-gr. at 15° C. 0'935 ; saponification value, 204 ; iodine 

 value, 90. The oil is useful in soap making. The residual cake is bitter and 

 probably poisonous ; it would only be of value as manure. 



[Bulletin Imperial Institute 1913.] 



