N. 0. LEGUMINOSjE. 417 



often in the axils of the leaves ; pedicels very short, bracts 

 setaceous, plumose. Calyx ^-Jixi. deep, densely silky ; teeth 

 setaceous, lower exceeding the tube. Corolla pale red, not 

 much exceeding the calyx. Pod 1-1 \ in. long, l/6-l/5.in. broad, 

 densely, persistently white, velvety, much recurved, 6-8-seeded. 

 Style glabrous, flattened, penicillate at the tip. 



Use. — In Pudukota, the juice of the leaves is given in dropsy. 

 (Pharm. Ind.) 



363. Sesbania cegyptica, Pers., h.f.b.l, if. 14. 



Syn. — ^schynomene sesban, Linn., Roxb. 570. 



Sans. — Jayanti. 



Vern. — Jet rasin (H.) ; Ravasin (Dec.) ; Jayanti or Byojainti 

 (B.) ; Shevari (Mar.) ; J ait, jaintar (Pb.) ; Champai, carcum 

 chembai (Tarn,) ; Kedangu (Mai.) ; Suiminta (Tel.). 



Habitat. — From the Himalayas throughout the plains of 

 India. 



A weedy, tree-like herb, 6-10ft. high, or 15-20ft. at 

 times, short-lived soft- wooded. Bark brown. Wood white, 

 extremely soft. Leaves paripinnate, numerous rachis 2J-4in., 

 slightly pilose, without prickles, furrowed above, swollen at 



base, 3-6ft. long. Leaflets 9-20 pair, linear-oblong, very 

 shortly stalked, i-3in,, obtuse, apiculate. glabrous or nearly so, 

 rather glaucous. Branches nearly glabrous, young parts silky. 

 Flowers few, rather large, on very slender pedicels, in very lax, 

 slender, pendulous axillary, stalked racemes. Calyx glabrous, 

 broad, companulate ; segment very shallow, acute. Pod 8-9in., 

 pendulous, very narrowly linear, dehiscent, sharply beaked, 

 usually somewhat twisted, weak, slightly torulose. Seeds 30 or 

 more, greenish grey, separated by distinct transverse bars. The 

 flowers are pale yellow, the standard dotted on the back with 

 purple, or orange and purple (Brandis). 



Uses. — The author of the Makhzan says that the seeds 

 reduce enlargement of the spleen (Dymock). The seeds are 

 applied in the form of ointment to eruptions, for which the juice 

 of the bark is also given internally. They are also said to be 

 stimulant emmenagogues (Watt). 



58 



