N. 0. CONVOLVULACE^E, 877 



2-celled ; stigmas 2, capitate. Capsule 4-valved. Seeds 4, with 

 a fringe of hair round the margin (Dnthie). 



Uses : — It is purgative, and the juice is administered in 

 bilious dyspepsia. 



838. I. digitata, Linn, h.f.b.i., iv. 202. 



Syn. : — Convolvulus paniculatus, Linn. Roxb. 160 ; T. pani- 

 culata, Br. 



Sans. : — Vidari and Bhumikushmanda. 



Vern : — Bilai-kand, bhumi-kumra, bhui-kumra (Beng.) ; 

 Bhui-kohala (Bom.) ; Bhummichekri-gadde (Kan.) ; Mattapal-tiga 

 (Tel.); Phal-modecca (Mai.). 



Habitat :— Tropical India ; common from Bengal and Assam 

 to Ceylon ; not in the drier western portion. Vengrula ; Thana 

 district. 



A large, scandent, perennial, glabrous shrub. Leaves 3-7in. 

 diam., often lobed nearly to the base, large palmately 5-7-lobed, 

 peduncle many-fid, longer than the petioles ; lobes lanceolate or 

 elliptic, often spathulate ; petioles 2-5in. ; peduncle often Gin. ; 

 bracts deciduous. Flowers not capitate. Sepals i-Jin. ; wider 

 concave in fruit, elliptic shortly acute, glabrous. Corolla 

 l£-2Jin., widely campanulate, glabrous, pink-purple. Anthers 

 never twisted. Ovary completely 4-celled, unless perhaps near 

 the top. Capsule iin., ovoid, completely 4-celled to the apex, 

 4-valved, the long wool from the seeds exsert from the fissure. 

 Wool hairs, \m. long. 



Uses : — The large tuberous roots are very much used in native 

 medicine, being regarded as tonic, alterative, aphrodisiac, 

 demulcent, and lactagogue. The powdered root-stock is given 

 with wine, for the purpose of increasing secretion of milk. 



According to the author of the Makhzan-ul-Adwiya, they 

 are tonic and alterative. 



The Rev. J. Long says the powdered root is used in spleen 

 disease ; it is purgative in its action. 



Cholagogue, useful in liver complaints (J. N. Dey, in 

 Watt's Dictionary). 



The fresh tuber, collected in November when the vine had died away, 

 was sliced, dried at a low temperature and reduced to fine powder. The 



