180 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



scattered, sharp, decurved, hooked prickles. Leaves 2-3in., 

 roundish in outline, deeply palmately cut into 3-5 lanceolate, 

 acute, shortly serrate segments (the lower often entire), glabrous 

 or pubescent, usually very prickly on the veins beneath ; 

 petioles as long as or longer than leaves, stout, horizontal, 

 cylindric, very prickly. Stipules, linear- lanceolate. Flowers 

 large, 2|-4in.; pedicels l-3in., very prickly ; bracteoles 10-12, 

 linear setaceous, bristly, lower half spreading or renexed, upper 

 half erect, with a small deflexed leafy appendage at the middle ; 

 sepals connate half way, ovate, very acute, sharp pointed, fin , 

 enclosed in thickened and enlarged, connivent Calyx, covered 

 with very coarse appressed bristly hair ; seed compressed, 

 rough with scattered papillae grey brown. Flowers yellow, with 

 dark crimson centre. This is a very handsome climber. There 

 seems to be no published figure of this common plant, says 

 Trimen 1893. Talbot has done it since. (See his Forest Flora 

 of Bombay). 



Very common in Ceylon, over trees and bushes in the 

 low country, hotter parts of India, from Bengal to Ceylon (Max- 

 well. T. Masters). 



Use : — Roots infused in water make a cooling drink for 

 the hot weather (Talbot). 



163. H. micranthus, Linn., h.k.f.b.i., i. 335. 



Vevn. : — (Porebunder) Adbau Buporio, Darianu jhad ; 

 (Kutch), Kurudvel ; (Tamil) Peru-maddi. (GujrPiti) Chanak 

 Bhindo ; (J. Indraji.) 



Habitat : — Hotter parts of India, from the North-West 

 Provinces, eastward and southward to Ceylon. 



Shrubby, with slender rod-like spreading branches, thinly 

 covered with stellate bristles. Leaves f-1 in., ovate or oblong, 

 quite entire or serrate, glandless, rough with bristly hairs ; 

 petioles very short. Peduncles axillary, as long as or longer 

 than the leaves. Bracteoles linear, shorter than the Calyx. 

 Flowers white or pink, f in. diam. Sepals lanceolate. Corolla 

 reflexed. Anthers whorled. Capsule globose. Seeds cottony, 

 variable. 



