438 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



densely covered with shining, silvery, adpressed hair beneath ; 

 flowers dull, dark-purple, the keel yellowish-green, numerous, 

 lj-lf in. long, on short pubescent pedicels, usually two or three 

 together at intervals, on a slender pubescent raceme 6-12in, long. 

 Bracts Jin., lanceolate, hairy, soon falling. Calyx densely silky, 

 2 upper segments completely connate ; lower much longest. 

 Pod 2f-3in. by about Jin. broad, linear, blunt, falcately curved 

 at both ends, a longitudinal rib along whole length of each 

 valve, but without wings, densely covered with close, rather 

 weak, orange-brown, irritant bristles, pointing backward and 

 readily detached, 4-6-seeded, with partitions between them. 

 Seed ovoid, }in., compressed, brownish, mottled with black, 

 hiluin oblong, not half the length of seed. 



Parts used. — The seeds, root and legume. 



Use. — According to Susruta, the seeds are aphrodisiac ; the 

 root is tonic and useful in nervine diseases (DuttJ. 



Ainslie says that a strong infusion of the root, mixed with 

 honey, is prescribed by the Tamool doctors in cholera. 



The use of the hairs of the mucuna pod as a vermifuge to 

 expel ascarides appears to have originated in the West Indies, no 

 mention of such an employment of them being found in Indian 

 works (Dymock). 



The pods are officinal in the Indian Pharmacopoeia, to be 

 used as an anthelmintic. 



In the West Indies, a decoction of the root is reckoned a 

 powerful diuretic and cleanser of the kidneys, and also made 

 into an ointment for elephantiasis. Leaves are applied to 

 ulcers. A vinous infusion of the pods is said to be a certain 

 remedy for dropsy (Drury). 



The root is prescribed as a remedy for delirium in fever in 

 Chutia Nagpur. Powdered and made into a paste, it is applied 

 to the body in dropsy, a piece of the root being also tied to the 

 wrist and ankle. The seed is believed to absorb scorpion- 

 pioson when applied to the part stung (Revd. A. Campbell). 



An ointment prepared with the hairs acts externally as a 

 local stimulant and wild vesicant. (Watt.) 



