610 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



N. 0. DATISCACEJE. 



556. Datisca cannabina, Linn, h.f.b.l, ii. 656. 



Vern. : — Akalber (H.) ; Bhang jala. Bayr Bunja (Pb.*) ; Vof- 

 tangel, Teh erg [ Cashmere). 



Habitat : — Tropical and sub-tropical western Himalaya, from 

 Kashir to Nepal, Simla. Collett says it may occur in the Sutlej 

 or Giri Valley. 



A glabrous herb ; stem erect, robust, 2-6ft., branches 

 flower-bearing, long. Stem-leaves alternate, pinnate 'lower 

 ones the larger), 6-12in.; leaflets 5-11, shortly stalked, lan- 

 ceolate, 6 by ljin , coarsely toothed, tip long pointed, entire. 

 Leaves of branches alternate, linear-lanceolate, l-3in., toothed 

 or entire ; stipules none. Flowers 1-sexual, regular, male and 

 female on different plants, yellow, small, shortly-stalked, in 

 numerous axillary clusters. Male flowers : — Calyx-tube vein 

 short, limb 5-lobed ; petals none ; stamens sessile, anthers 

 oblong, rather large, filaments very short. Female flowers : — 

 Calyx-tube ovoid, obscurely 3-angled, adnate to the ovary, limb 

 3-toothed ; petals none ; ovary inferior, 1-celled ; styles J-3in. 

 each divided nearly to the base in 2 linear stigmas ; ovules 

 numerous attached to 3 placentas on the cell-wall. Capsule 

 oblong, ^-in. by less than -g-in., opening at the top ; seeds 

 numerous, minute Collett) and (C. B. Clarke). 



Parts used : — The herb, roots and bark. 



Use : — It is bitter and purgative, and is occasionally used 

 if i fevers and in gastric and scrofulous complaints. In Khagan, 

 the bruised root is applied to the head as a sedative. Madden 

 states that under the name, Bujr Bunja, it is used medicinally 

 in Kurnool (Stewart). 



It may be administered in doses of from 5 to 15 grains in 

 intermittents (Dymock). 



Medicinally, it acts as a sedative in rheumatism (Watt). 



Used as an expectorant in catarrh ; also locally to carious 

 teeth (London Exliib. 1862) The bark also contains a bitter 

 principle like quassia (Watt). 



