332 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



N. 0. RHAMNEiE. 



284. Ventilago madraspatana, Oaertn. H. p. b. I., 

 i. 631. 



Sans. : — Raktavalli. 



Vern. : — Pitti (H.) ; Raktapita (B.) ; Chorgu (Hyderabad) ; 

 Kroti pitti (C. P.) ; Lokandi, kanwail (Bomb.) ; Ragatarohado 

 (Guz.) ; Luri-chakka (Dec.) ; Pappili-chakka, suralpattai, lurala 

 chaki, surate cheka, papli, vembadain, veinpadon (Triman) 

 (Tarn.) ; Surabi ; papri Kali-bili (Dun) ; Bonga-Sarjom (Kol.) 

 petli tige, lurala tige, arra chiratali (Tel) ; Paipli-chakka, papli, 

 popli (Kan.) ; yaccaduvel (Sinhalese). 



Habitat : — Western Peninsula, from the Concan southward. 

 Tenasserim. Throughout the plains of India. Forests of Burma 

 and Ceylon, in hot dry places. 



A large, much-branched, woody climber or climbing shrub. 

 Bark grey white. Vertical cracks, exposing the inner surface 

 which has a vermilion colour. Wood yellow, porous, soft ; 

 branchlets elongated, slender, younger parts, branchlets, petioles 

 and young leaves pubescent. 



A very conspicuous forest climber, climbing over the 

 tallest trees and hanging its branches down in festoons (Gamble). 

 Tendrils woody. Leaves l|-5in. (usually about 2|), ovate, ovate- 

 lanceolate, obtuse or rounded at base, acuminate, obtuse or 

 rarely acute, shallowly crenate-serrate or entire, glabrous and 

 shining ; lateral veins 6-10 in each side, fine but conspicuous, 

 oblique, connected by very fine transverse reticulation. Petiole, 

 ii'in., stipules very small, lanceolate, pubescent. Flowers pale 

 green, ^ in., numerous, on short pubescent pedicels, arranged 

 in clusters on the branches of large spreading and drooping, 

 pubescent, elongated, terminal panicles. Calyx pubescent, 

 lobes erect, very acute. Petals shorter than calyx, 2-lobed. 

 Stamens as long as petals. Styles short. Nut small, globular, 

 supported on persistent calyx. Wing 1-1| in. linear oblong, 

 1 athery, pubescent, slightly, bifid at apex. 



