552 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



A middle-sized evergreen tree. Bark white, thick, spongy, 

 peeling off in papery flakes. Wood reddish brown, hard ; bran- 

 ches slender, pendulous. Leaves alternate, coriaceous, lanceo- 

 late, more or less oblique, 2-5in. long, tapering into a short 

 petiole, with 3-7 distinct longitudinal nerves. Flowers yellow- 

 ish-white, sessile in erect axillary spikes, 2-6in. long, the rachis 

 generally prolonged and leaf-bearing. Stamens numerous, the 

 filaments united at their base into 5 bundles, inserted opposite 

 to the petals. Ovary half-inferior, enclosed in the Calyx- tube. 

 Capsule loculicidaily 3-valved. Yields the Cajuput oil of 

 commerce (Brandis). 



Use : — The oil is used in medicine as a stimulant and dia- 

 phoretic (Gamble) ; it is used as an external application for 

 rheumatism (Dymock). 



It is antispasmodic; and, when externally applied, acts as 

 rubefacient. It is also regarded as a powerful sudorific (Watt). 

 The oil is officinal in British and Indian Pharmacopoeias. 



502. Psidium Guyava, Linn, h.f.b.i., ii. 468, 

 Roxb. 396. 



Var. pyriferum, Linn, (sp.), and pomiferum, Linn, (sp.) 



Eng : — The guava tree. 



Vern. :— Amrut, amrud (Hind.) ; Piyara (Beng.) ; Amuk 

 (Nepal.); Mcdharian (Ass.); Segapu (Tarn.); Jama koia (Tel.); 

 Lal-jam, sufed-jam (Dec) ; Tambada-peru, Pandhara-peru 

 (Bomb.) 



Habitat :— A native of Tropical America and the West Indies 

 originally ; now quite naturalized all over India, Burma, Ceylon ; 

 almost wild. 



A small evergreen tree or large shrub, 20-30ft. Girth 2-3ft. 

 pubescent on the young branches. Bark smooth, thin, greenish 

 grey, epidermis greybrown, peeling off in thin paper-like flakes 

 (K. R. K.) Wood greyish brown, moderately hard, even-grained. 

 Leaves opposite, oblong to ovate, on a very short petiole B"s m -> 

 usually acuminate or almost blunt, 3-5 or 6in. long, glabres- 

 cent above, adpressed pubescent beneath, lateral nerves 15-20. 



