670 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



6-12in., or even 2ft., erect, stiff, cylindric, striate, more or less 

 pubescent, slightly branched. " Sometimes decumbent at the 

 base, grooved " (Collet). Leaves alternate distant, the lower 

 2in., but generally smaller upwards, nearly sessile, lanceolate, 

 or ovate, broadly oval to linear-lanceolate, tapering to the base, 

 subobtuse, apiculate, coarsely and shallowly crenate-serrate, more 

 or less hairy on both sides, f-ljin. ; teeth few, coarse. Petiole 

 i-fin. Heads numerous, Jin. diam., small, on long stalks, in 

 lax divaricate terminal corymbs. Involucre-bracts linear, 

 mucronate ; silky, outer ones smaller than the inner. Flowers 

 20-25, bright, pinkish-violet ; pappus white ; outer row very 

 short. Achenes not ribbed, hairy terete, xV n - A very vari- 

 able plant. 



Uses : — Used in medicine by the Hindus in decoction, to 

 promote perspiration in febrile affections (Ainslie). The ex- 

 pressed juice of the plant is given in piles (B. D. B.). 



The seeds are employed in Patna as an alexipharmic and 

 anthelmintic, and as a constituent of masalas for horses (Irvine). 

 In Chutia Nagpur, the whole plant is given as a remedy for 

 spasm of the bladder and strangury ; the flowers are administer- 

 ed for conjunctivitis (Campbell). The latter use is interesting, 

 since, according to Piso, the leaves of another species of the 

 same genus are similarly employed in Jamaica. (Watt.). In 

 Chutia Nagpur, root is given for dropsy (J. J. Wood's Plants of 

 Chutia Nagpur, p. in.). 



627. V. anthelmintic*!, Willd., ill. 236. 



Syn. : — Serratula anthelmintica, Roxb. 594. 

 Sans. : — Somaraja ; Avalguja; Vakuchi. 

 Vern. • — Kali-ziri ; Bukchi (H. and B.) ; Karalye (Mar.) ; 

 Kattu shiragam, Neernoochie (Tarn.) ; Neela-vayalie, Adavie- 



zula-kuru (Tel). 



Habitat : — Throughout India, from Kashmir to Ceylon. 



A tall, robust, leafy annual, branched, glandular-pubescent, 

 stem 2-3ft, much branched striate, often blotched with purple. 

 Leaves petioled, 3-8in., rather membranous, lanceolate or 



