192 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



solution, which soon becomes violet and then gradually loses its colour ; the 

 violet colour is developed immediately when hydrogen peroxide is added to 

 the alkaline solution. Alkaline solutions of gossypol reduce both Eehling's 

 solution and ammoniacal silver nitrate. An alcoholic solution gives a dark 

 green coloration with ferric chloride, which becomes dark reddish-brown on 

 adding alkalis. The acetyl and benzoyl derivatives are very soluble in organic 

 solvents, and were not obtained in crystalline form ; bromine and nitric acid 

 also act on gossypol, but definite products were not isolated. Gossypol is 

 not a glucoside. An analysis of the lead salt indicates the presence of two 

 hydroxy! groups. Gossypol gives a grey shade, with iron mordants. — J. Ch. S. 

 1899 A I. 821. 



173. G. arboreum, Linn, h.f.b.i., i. 347. 

 Roxb. 520. 



Vern : — Nurma, deo kapas. (H.) ; Budi Kaskoin, bhoga 

 kuskom (Santal.) ; Manna, radhia, nurma (N.-W. P.; ; Kapas 

 (Pb.) ; Deva Kapusa (Mar.) ; Sainparuthi (Tarn.); Patti (Tel). 



Habitat : — Plains of India, in gardens, but generally 

 cultivated. 



Arborescent or shrubby plant, rarely an herb. Branches 

 purple, pilose. Leaves nearly glabrous, one-glandular, deeply 

 palmately 5-7-lobed, lobes linear oblong, mucronate, con- 

 tracted at the base, often with a supplementary lobe in the 

 sinus. Stipules ensiform. Flowers purple, rarely white. 

 Bracteoles nearly entire, cordate, ovate, acute. Petals spread- 

 ing ; staminal-tube antheriferous for its whole length. Capsule 

 about 1 in., oblong, pointed. Seeds free, covered with white 

 wool overlying a dense, green down. Cotton not readily separ- 

 able from the seed. 



Uses : — In Bombay, the root is used in the treatment of 

 fever, 



In the Konkan, the root, rubbed to a paste within the juice 

 of patchouli leaves, has a reputation as a promoter of granula- 

 tion in wounds, and the juice of the leaves, made into a paste 

 with the seeds of Vernonia anthelmintica, is applied to eruptions 

 of the skin following fever. In Pudukota, the leaves ground 

 and mixed with milk, are given for strangury (Dymock). 



The petals squeezed and soaked in human or cow's milk, 



