N. 0. STERCULIACE^. 203 



N. 0. STEROULIAOE^E. 



178. Stereulia fcetida, Linn, h.f.b.i., i. 354, 

 Roxb. 510. 



Vern. : — Jangli-baclam (H. and M. N| ; Jungli-badam, pun 

 (Bomb.) ; Kuo-mhad, virhoi (Goa) ; Goldaru, nagalkuda (M) ; 

 Pinari, kuddurai-pudduki, kudra-plukku, pinari-maruin (Tarn.) ; 

 Gurapu-badam (Tel) ; Bhatala penari (Kan.) 



Habitat : — Western and Southern India, Burma, Ceylon. 



A large deciduous tree. Bark thin, white. Wood grey, 

 spongy, soft. Branches whorled, horizontal. Leaves digitate, 

 crowded at the ends of branches. Leaflets 7-9, elliptic lanceo- 

 late, about 6 by 2in., pubescent when young, adult glabrous 

 beneath. Petioles 3in. Stipules ensiform, caducous. Panicles 

 erect, numerous-flowered, spreading (formed immediately under 

 the leaves of the present year, Roxb.), branches glabrous, ulti- 

 mate pedicels shorter than the flower, jointed in the middle. 

 Bracteoles minute. Flowers polygamous, red, yellow or dull 

 purple. Calyx deeply 5-parted, \-\ in. diam., dull orange 

 coloured, campanulate ; lobes oblong-lanceolate, spreading, vill- 

 ous within, much longer than the tube. Anthers 12-15. Car- 

 pels 5 downy ; style curved. Follicles as large as the fist, 

 woody, scarlet, oblong, boat-shaped, shortly beaked, villous in- 

 side, nearly glabrous outside. Seeds black, 10-15, in each follicle. 

 Cotyledons thick, fleshy ; albumen 0. 



Flowers dull orange. Smelling most offensively, with the 

 odour of carrion. The great pendulous bright red follicles gap- 

 ing open and showing the black seeds which are very striking 

 objects (Trimen). The seeds are eaten roasted. 



Parts used : — The leaves, seeds and follicles. 



Uses : — The leaves are considered as repellent and aperient. 

 Loureiro informs us that the seeds are oily, and when swallow- 

 ed incautiously tbey bring on nausea and vertigo. Horsfield 

 adds that the capsule is mucilaginous and astringent. (Ainslie.) 



179. S. urens, Roxb. h.f.b.i., i. 355, Roxb. 507. 



Vern. : — Gulu, kulii, giilar, buli (H.) ; Odla (Ass.) ; Pand- 

 riika, kandol, karai sardol, sardora (Bomb.) ; Makchund ; Gur- 



