>' ' N. 0. LEGUHINOS^. 413 



358. Psoralea corylifolia,- Linn* h.f.b.i., ii. 103, 

 Roxb. 588. 



Sans. : — Sugandha, kantak, avalgiga, vakuchi, sonia-raj. 



Vern. : — Buckchi, babchi (H.); Hakuch (B.j; Bawachi (Bomb.); 

 Karpoo-garishi, karpngan, karu, bogi-vittulu (Tain.) ; Kour- 

 gestum, bapungie (Tel.) ; Kourkoal (Mai.) ; Bawchan (Duk.) ; 

 Babehi (Pb.). 



Habitat : — Plains ; from the Himalayas throughout India 

 proper. 



An erect, annual, herbaceous under-shrub, l-3ft. high. Bran- 

 ches firm, copiously gland-dotted. The plant under preser- 

 vation lives for several years, six or seven or even more, 

 reaching a height of 6 or 7 ft. Leaves simple, distinctly petioled, 

 roundish, l-3in. long, inciso-repand, firm in texture, both 

 sides conspicuously dotted with black dots, very glabrescent. 

 Racemes dense, short. Flowers 10-30, in dense, copious, long- 

 peduncled heads. Calyx nearly sessile, Jin., teeth lanceolate, 

 long, the lowest long. Corolla yellow, a liktle exserted. Pod 

 small, black, sub-globose, glabrous. 



Use : —Native works on Materia Medica describe the seeds 

 as hot and dry, or, according to some, cold and dry, laxative, 

 stimulant and aphrodisiac. They are recommended in leprosy, 

 and other chronic skin diseases, and are given internally and 

 applied externally as a plaster ; they are also said to- be- useful 

 in bilious affections and as an anthelmintic (Dymock). : . 



In southern India, they are used as a stomachic and deob- 

 struent, and prescribed in lepra and other cutaneous diseases 

 (AinsIieV 



An oleature of Bavchi for use in leprosy internally and 

 externally was once prepared by Mr. D. S. Kemp, so far back 

 as 1870. 



In the Concan, the seeds, are used in making a' perfumed 

 oil which is applied to the skin (Dymock.). Rai Bahadur K. L. 

 Dey speaks highly of the oleo-resinous extract of the seeds, 

 diluted with simple ointment, as an application to leucoderma. 

 After application for some days the white patches appear to 

 become red or vascular ; sometimes a slightly painful sensation 



