742 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



Use : — Fruit used as an anthelmintic (especially for tape- 

 worm), sold under the name of Bebrang, and often used as a 

 substitute for that of Samara Ribes (Stewart). 



It is also laxative in dropsy and colic. The gum of this 

 plant is a warm remedy for dysmenorrhea (Balfour). 



Continued use is said to produce a high-colored state of 

 urine. 



717. Embelia Ribes, Biirm. h.f.b.l, hi. 513 ; 

 Roxb. 195. 



Syn. : — E. glandulifera, Wight. 



Sans. : — Vidanga. 



Vern. : — Baberang, wawrung (Hind.) ; Bebrang (Sylhet) ; 

 Himalcheri (Nepal) ; Babrung (Pb.); Vayu-vilamgam (Tarn.); 

 Kar-kannie, Warding (Bom.) ; Umbelia (Cingh.). 



Habitat: — From the Central Himalaya, throughout India ; 

 common in the lower hills. 



A large, scandent shrub. Bark, tubercled, Jin., rough, with 

 conical hard protuberances. Wood light-brown, porous. Climb- 

 ing by means of rerlexed lateral twigs, which are deciduous 

 except at the basal part, which remains as a woody deflexed 

 spine. Branches extremely long, very flexible, with long inter- 

 nodes, slender, cylindric ; bark of young branches nearly white, 

 very smooth and shining, with large lenticels. Leaves 4-5in., 

 on very short petioles, usually bordered with prominent glands, 

 lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, acute or rounded at base, shortly 

 acuminate, acute or obtuse, entire, perfectly glabrous and 

 shining on both sides, pale and somewhat silvery beneath, 

 coriaceous ; lateral veins invisible, white surface, with scattered 

 minute, red, sunken glands. Flowers very small, Jan., numerous, 

 or white, more or less pubescent, in lax elongated, spreading 

 pubescent panicles, 6in-2ft. long, terminal or in axils of upper 

 leaves; bracts small, ciliate. Corolla split into distinct petals, 

 pubescent on both sides. Stamens 5, erect. Berry about Jin., 

 nearly globose, tipped with style, smooth, crimson, wrinkled 

 when dry. 



