N. 0. MALVACEiE. 187 



Habitat: — Tropical shores of Bengal and both peninsulas, 

 Ceylon. 



A middle-sized, evergreen, rapid-growing tree. Heartwood 

 small, dark red, smooth ; sapwood soft. Leaves cordate, acumi- 

 nate, entire on botli sides, with minute, peltate scales ; blade 

 3-5 in., petiole 1-4 in. Flowers axillary, solitary or 2 together. 

 Bracteoles none, or early deciduous. Calyx cup-shaped, truncate. 

 Corolla yellow, passing into purplish pink when withering, 2 in. 

 diam. Capsule dehiscent or i ndehiscent ; 1-J in., oblong, depress- 

 ed, scaly, ultimately glabrescent. Seeds silky, pilose or powdery 

 on the surface (Maxwell T. Masters). 



Parts used : — The bark, fruit, seeds, flowers, root and leaves. 



Uses : — The fruit yields a yellow, viscid juice, which forms a 

 valuable local application in scabies and other cutaneous diseases 

 in South India. The affected parts of the body are daily washed 

 with a decoction of the bark (Watt). Ainslie says that a 

 decoction of the bark is given internally as an alterative. 



Dr. Waring tried it in scabies and other cutaneous diseases; 

 in some cases, it exercised a favourable influence, but in the 

 majority it was productive of little or no benefit. 



In Tahiti, the fresh capsules, bruised and applied to the 

 forehead are said to cure migraine ; the yellow sap exuding from 

 the peduncles is considered a cure for the bites of insects, espe- 

 cially .of the centipede ; it is also useful in sprains, bruises, and 

 all cutaneous affections. In Mauritius, the bark is described 

 as depurative, as used in dysentery, haemorrhoids ; the juice 

 of the fruits being applied to warts." Christy's N. C. P., No. x., 

 p. 43. 



Rumphius speaks highly of the value of heartwood as a 

 remedy for bilious attacks and colic, and in a kind of pleuro- 

 dynia from which the Malay as often suffer. 



In the Central Provinces, the root is taken as a tonic. 



In the Concan, the flowers are employed in the cure of itch ; 

 and the leaves are employed as a local application to inflamed 

 and swollen joints ^Dymock). 



