716 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



Sans.: — Kusumbha, kamalottara, kushumbha. 



Vern. : — Kusum, kasumba, kar (the seed), barre (Hind) ; 

 Kusum, kusam phul, kajirah, darhua (the oil), kuthi (thorny), 

 murdi or mundo (thornless variety) (Beng.) ; Galap macliu, (Ma- 

 nipur) ; Kusam, kurtam, kushumbha, ma, suflr, karar (khar, 

 polian — seed), (Pb.) ; Barre, kar, (United Prov.) ; (Bundi, Raj) ; 

 Kusumba, kurdai, (Bomb.) ; Kusumbo (kabri = the seed), (Guj.) ; 

 Kurdi, kavarhi, kasdi, sadhi (oil plant), kardai, (Mar.) ; Kusumba, 

 (Cutch) ; Powari-jo-bij, kardai, kurtum (seed), khoinbo (the plant), 

 (Sind) ; Khardi, (oil), kasar (thorny), kusum (smooth variety), 

 (C. P.) ; Karad, (Dec.); Sendurgam, kushumba, kushumba- 

 virai, sendurkun, (Tarn) ; Agnisikha, kushumba-vittu-lu, (Tel) ; 

 Kusanbe (or kusambi), kusumba, (Kan). 



Eng. :—The Safflower. 



Habitat : — Cultivated throughout India. 



Thistle-like herbs, glabrous or pubescent. Leaves entire 

 and unarmed, or spinulose serrate. Outer Involucre-bracts 

 ovate-oblong, constricted above the base green-spinous, or not. 

 Inner Involucre-bracts ovate-oblong, acute. Flowers orange-red. 

 Achenes (often deformed) obovoid, 4-angled, truncate at the 

 top, with 4 bosses ; pappus absent. 



Parts used : — The seed, oil and flowers. 



TJses : —The Sanskrit writers describe the seeds as purgative, 

 and mention a medicated oil, which is prepared from the plant for 

 external application in rheumatism and paralysis. Alahomedan 

 writers consider the seeds as laxative, having the power to re- 

 move phlegmatic and adust humors from the system. (Dyinock). 



" The powdered seeds made into a poultice, are used to 

 allay inflammation of the womb after childbirth. The oil is 

 used as a liniment in rheumatism " (Surg.-Maj. Calthrop). 



The oil is used as a dressing for bad ulcers (Ainslie). 



In the Punjab seeds considered to be diuretic and tonic 

 (Stewart). 



"In large doses, Carthamus is said to be a laxative ; and, 

 administered in warm infusion, diaphoretic. It is used as a 

 substitute for saffron in measles, scarlatina, and other exanthe- 

 matous diseases to promote the eruption" (U. S. Dispensary). 



