800 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



A small, deciduous tree, with grey corky bark, £in. thick. 

 Wood white, moderately hard, even-grained. Extremities tomen- 

 tose. Leaves opposite, distichous, 3-6 by lj-3in. elliptic, cau- 

 date, acuminate, rarely obscurely serrulate, rather membranous, 

 velvety-tomentose often on both surfaces, always beneath, nar- 

 rowed into a petiole 5-i*m. long, lateral nerves 10-16 pair. 

 Flowers lin. across, in many-flowered corymbose ; terminal cymes ; 

 bracts deciduous. Calyx short, with 5-10 scales inside at base ; 

 lobes rounded, half the length of the Corolla-tube. Corolla pale, 

 yellow with a fleshy orange-coloured corona of scales ; lobes 

 oblong, over-lapping to the left. Stamens inserted at top of 

 Corolla-tube ; filaments short and broad, continued into a broad — 

 tapering connective ; anthers sagittate, by the cells being spurred 

 at base, adherent to stigma. Ovary of 2 connate carpels. 

 Style filiform, stigma ovoid. Fruit of 2 connate follicles, 8-12 

 by i-fin., straight, cylindric, laterally, compressed, rough, with 

 white specks, follicles separating before dehiscing. Seeds numer- 

 ous, J-f in., slender, each with a tuft of white silky hairs at lower 

 end (Kanjilal). Flowers have an unpleasant smell, says Trimen, 

 first yellowish, afterwards purple. 



Uses : — A thick, red-colored medicinal oil is said to be ob- 

 tained from the seeds. In Chutia Nagpur, a preparation from 

 the bark is given in menstrual and renal complaints (Campbell). 



The bark and root-bark are believed to be useful in snake- 

 bite and scorpion stings. 



762. Nerium odorum, Soland. h.f.b.i., m. 655. 

 Roxb. 242. 



Sans. : — Karavira. 



Vern. : — Difli (Arab.); Khar-zahrah (Pers.) ; Kaner, kanel, 

 karber (Hind.); Kanira, kaner, ganhira (Pb.); Kanyur (Kumaun); 

 Alari (Tam.) ; Ganneru (Tel.) ; Alari (Mai.) ; Kanagale (Kan.) ; 

 Karabi (Beng.); Kanhera (Bomb.). Haya-mara :— Killer of the 

 horse (Marathi.) 



Habitat: — Western Himalaya, from Nepal to Murree, Cen- 

 tral India and Sind. 



