N. 0. LEGUMINOS^. 411 



A shrub, 4-6ft. high, with twiggy, woody, thinly silvery, 

 branches. Leaves l-2in. long, leaflets 9-13, large, obovate-oblong, 

 opposite, membranous, turning blackish when dried ; petiole 

 J-lin. Racemes lax, nearly sessile ; 2-4in. long. Flowers 

 small. Calyx ^in., silvery, teeth as long as the tube. Corolla 

 |-J in., reddish-yellow. Pod f-lin. long, ^in. thick, glabres- 

 cent, nearly straight, scarcely at all recurved, 8-12-seeded, not 

 torulose. 



Uses :-— Both Hindus and Mahomedans consider the plant to 

 have attenuant properties ; they prescribe it in whooping cough, 

 affections of the lungs and kidneys, palpitation of tha heart, 

 enlargement of the spleen or liver, and dropsy. Indigo applied 

 to the navel of children is said to act upon the bowels; it is 

 applied to the hypogastrium to promote the action of the bladder. 

 A poultice or plaster of the leaves is recommended in various 

 skin affections, and is used as a stimulating application to old 

 ulcers, haemorrhoids, &c. Indigo is applied to the bites and 

 stings of venomous insects and reptiles to relieve the pain, also 

 to burns and scalds. Ainslie notices the use of the root by the 

 Hindus in hepatitis (Dymock.) 



The extract is given in epilepsy and nervous disorders. 



It is also used in bronchitis, and as an ointment in sores 

 (Watt). 



An infusion of the root is given as an antidote in cases of 

 poisoning by arsenic. (Surg. Thomas in Watt's Dictionary). 



357. I. pulchella, Roxb. h.f.b.i., ii. 101, Roxb. 



585, 586. 



Vern. :— Sakena, hakua (H.) ; Uterr, jhurpur (Kol.); Dare- 

 huter, lili-bichi (Santal) ; Hikpi (Lepcha) ; Girhul (Kharwar) ; 

 Baroli (Mar.) ; Togri (Bhil.) ; Chimnati ; Nirda (Mahableshwar.) 



Habitat : — Throughout the Himalayan tract and the hills of 

 India. 



A shrub, 4-6 ft. high, the trunk reaching the thickness of a 

 man's leg. Branches sulcate, thinly coated with grey adpressed 

 hairs at first, soon glabrescent. Leaves short-petioled, 3-Cin. 

 long ; leaflets opposite, obtuse, often emarginate, usually f-lin. 

 long, pale green above, glaucous below, thinly coated, with short 



