N. O. MYRSIN^. 741 



equalling the blue or red corolla. Corolla ■§■- Jin. diam., closing 

 in dull weather, segments often ciliate. Capsule about Jin. in 

 diam, dehiscing transversely in the middle ; sttyle persistent. 

 Seeds 3-gonous. 



Uses : — Used to intoxicate fish and to expel leeches from the 

 nostrils. For this purpose the juice of the various species of 

 Begnonia would seem admirably suited. It is also used in 

 cerebral affections, leprosy, hydrophobia, dropsy, epilepsy, and 

 mania. Formerly it was used in Europe in epilepsy, mania, 

 hysteria, delirium, enlargement of the liver, spleen, dropsy, 

 emaciation, stone, the plague, bites of serpents and mad ani- 

 mals, and in numerous other diseases (Honnigberger). 



Said to be poisonous to dogs, producing inflammation of the 

 stomach (Baden-Powell's P. P, I. 368). 



Now it is not used in Europe or Asia. ' What a pity that 

 such a remedy should have been suffered to pass into oblivion" 

 (Honnigberger)- 



N. 0. MYRSIM. 

 716. Myrsine afrieana, Linn, h.f.b.l, hi. 511. 



Vern. : — Bebrang, kakhum, kokhuri, gngul, bandaru, atuljan 

 (Pb.) ; Guvaini, Pahari cha, Chapra (U. P.) 



Habitat: — Himalaya, from Kashmir and the Salt Range to 

 Nepal. 



A small, evergreen, pubescent shrub, sometimes soft. Bark 

 thin, dark-brown, with large lenticels. Wood light-brown, 

 moderately hard. Bractlets and petioles ferruginous-pubescent. 

 Leaves nearly sessile, lanceolate, f-lin., sharply toothed, midrib 

 prominent. Flowers nearly sessile, small in axillary fascicles ; 

 in clusters of 3-8, less than ^in. diam. Calyx and Corolla 4-lobed, 

 5-merous. Stamens 4. Anthers exceeding corolla, style short ; 

 stigma capitate, covered with minute protuberances. Berry 

 dotted with red glands, usually solitary, smooth, says Kanjilal ; 

 T V n - diam., swelling when full ripe. Berry, says Clarke, i-g-in. 

 diam. ; style branches 2-4, spathulate. 



