N. O. SAP0TACEJ5. 747 



721. Bassia latifolia, Roxb., h.f.b.l, hi. 544 ; 

 Roxb. 411. 



Sans. : — Madhuka. 



Vern. : — Mahwa, mahua, mahula, maul (H. and B.) ; Moha 

 (Uriya) ; Mandukum (K61.) ; Matkom (Santal.) ; Mahura (Bhil) ; 

 Irup, irrip, irlm (Gond.) ; Mohu (Kurku) ; Mova, mahua, moha 

 (Bom.); Mahuda or Mahura (Guz.) ; Mowda, ranacha-mohacha- 

 jhada, ranacha-ippecha-jhada, moho, maoda, moha (Mar.) ; Illupi, 

 elupa, kat illipi, kathi-iluppai, kattu-iluppai, kattu-irrupai 

 (Tarn.) ; Ippi, ippa, yeppa, adavi-ippe-chettu (Tel.) ; Hogue, 

 hippe, kadu-ippe-gida (Kan.) ; Poonam, kattrippa banam (Mala). 



Brig. : — The Butter or Mahua tree. 



Habitat : — Throughout Central India, from West Bengal to 

 the Western Ghauts ; also wild in the Kumaon Terai. 



A large, evergreen tree, says Gamble ; " Deciduous, " says 

 Kanjilal ; usually with a short trunk and rounded crown, young 

 shoots, young leaves, stipules and pedicels tawny tomentose. 

 Bark Jin. thick grey, or blackish with vertical cracks, the inner 

 portion reddish or milky, exfoliating in thin scales. Wood from 

 hard to very hard ; sap wood large ; heartwood reddish-brown. 

 Branches many, spreading, forming a close symmetrical head. 

 Leaves firm, clustered near ends of branches, 5-9in. long, 

 elliptic or oblong elliptic ; main lateral nerves 10-12 pair, base 

 cuneate, petiole 1-1 Jin. long. Stipules subulate, pubescent, soon 

 falling.. Flowers in dense clusters at the ends of branches, 

 pedicels l-2in. long. Calyx fin., divided nearly to the base, 

 coriaceous, segments 4-5, densely tomentose outside. Corolla 

 fin. long, cream-coloured, fleshy, juicy, sweet, early caducous, 

 tube ovoid, lobes short, erect, 7-4, usually 8-9, stamens 24-26, 

 anthers subsessile, hairy at the back, inserted in 3 series inside 

 the Calyx-tube. Ovary hirsute ; style lin. or more in length, 

 hairy at the base. Berry ovoid, fleshy, green, l-2in. long, 

 1-4-seeded, seeds J-lin. long. 



Use : — The flowers yield a distilled spirit, which is described 

 by Sushruta as heating, astringent, tonic and appetising. The 

 flowers are regarded as cooling, tonic and nutritive. They 



