884 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



847. I. biloba, Forsk h.f.bj., iv. 212. 



Syn. : — Convolvulus Pes-Caprce, Linn. ; C. bilobatus, Roxh. 

 163. 



Vern : — Dopati-lata (H.) ; Chhagulkaru (B.) ; Marjadvel 

 (Bomb.) ; Balabandi tige, Cbevulapilli tige (Tel.) ; Kansarinata 

 (Uriya). 



Habitat :■ — Throughout India ; abundant near the sea. 



An extensively creeping and twining sea-shore sand plant, 

 glabrous. Leaves orbicular, obtuse, emarginate, or 2-lobed 

 l-4in., often broader than long, fleshy, prominent-nerved ; 

 petiole l-4in. Peduncle l-4in. 1-3-fid ; bracts Jin., lanceolate, 

 caducous. Pedicels often more than one. Corolla 2in., 

 purple, tubular, funnel-shaped, glabrous, margin scarcely lobed. 

 Ovary 2-celled, not imperfectly 4-celled. Capsule iin., ovoid, 

 glabrous. Seeds villous. 



Uses' — The leaves are applied externally in rheumatism 



and colic. The root contains starch. The juice is given as a 



diuretic in dropsy and at the same time the bruised leaves are 



applied to the dropsical part. (Dymock.) 



The powdered roots, dried at a low temperature, were exhausted with 

 80 per cent, alcohol : the tincture exhibited a slight greenish yellow 

 fluorescence. The tincture was freed from alcohol by spontaneous eva- 

 poration,, and the extract mixed with water, acidulated with sulphuric 

 acid and agitated with benzole. During agitation, a brownish soft resin 

 separated ; this resin was insoluble also in ether, but dissolved in alka- 

 lies with a dark yellowish brown coloratiou, and was precipitated by 

 acid in brown flocks. The benzole solution left on spontaneous evaporation 

 a viscid transparent residue of the colour and consistence of Venice turpen- 

 tine, which possessed a slight odour of peppermint. This extract was 

 soluble in absolute alcohol with greenish yellow fluorescence and was neutral 

 in reaction : it was also soluble in ether, with similar fluorescence. The 

 alcoholic solution gave with ferric chloride a dirty greenish precipitate. 

 In cold 5 per cent, caustic soda it was insoluble, but on boiling it dissolved 

 with some difficulty, affording a dark yellowish solution, while an odour not 

 unlike that of aniseed was noticed. The cold caustic soda solution on agita- 

 tation with ether afforded a small amount of yellowish white oily extractive 

 with an odour of aniseed. The caustic soda solution on the addition of dilute 

 acids afforded a yellowish precipitate. The original acid aqueous solution 

 was next agitated with ether. The extractive was small in amount, partly 

 in the form of a transparent varnish adhering to the sides of the capsule, 

 and partly in indistinct whitish crystals. Heated with water, a portion 



