310 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



Vern. — Drek, bakain, bakayan, betain, deikna, bakarja, 

 mahanib (Hind.); Ghoranim, maha-nim, (Beng.) ; Gara nim, 

 (KoL); Thamaga (Assam) ; Bakainu (Nepal) ; Bukain (N.-W. P.); 

 Chein, kachen, bakain, dhek, drek, jek, seecl = habbulban (Pb.j ; 

 Bakyana, (Pushtu) ; Bakayun, drek (Sind.) Maha limbo, 'malla 

 nim muhli, (C. P.) ; Gouri-nim, gouli-nim (Dec ) ; Nimb, maha- 

 limbo, drek, bakayan, wilayati nim (Bomb.) ; Limbara bakana- 

 nimb, wilayati-nimb (Mar.) ; Dek (Dun) ; Bakan limbodo (Guz.) ; 

 Malai, vembu, malai-veppam (Tarn.) ; Taraka vepa, makanim, 

 konda-vepa (Tel.) ; Bevu, chik bevu, hutchu bevu, kadbevina- 

 mara, bettada-bevina (Kan.) ; Mullay vaempu (Malay.) ; Ta-ma- 

 ka, ka-ma-ka (Burm.) ; Maha-nimba, lunumidella (Sing.); 

 Habul-ban (Arab). 



J. Indraji : — (Porbunder and Guj.) Bakan, Bakan-limbdo ; 

 (Marathi) Bakayin ; (Hind.) Bakayin. 



English— The Persian Lilac, Indian lilac, or Bead tree. 



A middle-sized, deciduous tree, young shoots and inflores- 

 cence sparsely clothed with deciduous stellate hairs, heartwood 

 light red ; annual rings marked by a belt of large vessels. 

 Pinnate, 3-4 pair, more or less opposite. Leaflets 3-12, ovat - 

 lanceolate, more or less deeply serrate, sometimes lobed. Flowers 

 lilac, with a strong honey-scent. Staminal-tube purple, i'm. 

 long, teeth 20-30, linear ; anthers glabrous, shorter than, or as 

 long as the teeth. Stigma clavate, 5-tootbed. Drupe yellow, 

 when ripe 3-4in. long. 



Uses. — " Hindu writers on Materia Medica seem to have 

 almost entirely neglected the Persian Lilac in favour of their 

 own nim. It has, however, long been used by the Arabs and 

 Persians, who brought a knowledge of its virtues with them 

 into India. They consider the root-bark, fruit, flowers, and 

 leaves to be hot and dry, and to have deobstruent, resolvent, and 

 alexipharmic properties. Thus, the flowers and leaves are 

 applied as a poultice to relieve nervous headaches. The juice 

 of the leaves, administered internally, is said to be anthelmintic, 

 antilithic, diuretic, and emmenagogue, and is thought to relieve 

 cold swellings, and expel the humors which give rise to them" 

 (Dymock). 



