N. O. COKVOLVULACE.E. 887 



half a teacup-ful twice daily. (Ainslie). It is reputed to be a 

 sovereign remedy for dysentery. 



The plant is used in Ceylon as a bitter tonic and febrifuge. 



The root is used by the Santals in intermittent fever of child- 

 ren (Itevd. A Campbell). 



The leaves are made into cigarettes and smoked in chronic 

 bronchitis and asthma. The plant is astringent, useful in 

 internal haemorrhages (Surgeon-Major Hunston, in Watt's Dic- 

 tionary). 



Ether separated from the powdered herb a yellow neutral fat of the 

 consistence of vaseline. The alcoholic extract contained an alkaloid of a 

 slightly bitter taste, and affording no colour reactions with strong mineral 

 acids. An organic acid of a deep red brown colour occurred in the water 

 extract, and formed an uncrystallizable compound with lead. A quantity of 

 saline matter was present in this drug. (Pharmacograph. Ind. II. 544). 



851. Cressa cretica, Linn, h.f.b.l, iv. 225 ; 

 Roxb. 265. 



Sans : — Rudantika, Amrita- Srava. 



Vern. :— Gun (Sind.); Khardi (Bomb.); Chavel (Nasik) ; Uppu 

 Sauaga (Tel.). 



Habitat : — Throughout India, from the Punjab and Calcutta 

 to Ceylon. 



A small erect bush-like annual. Stems 6-1 Sin. long, slender, 

 much branched. Leaves crowded, sessile i-|in. long, densely 

 silky-hairy ; lower cordate, upper smaller, ovate or lanceolate. 

 Flowers very shortly pedicelled, white or pink ; bracts 2, small 

 linear, appressed to the calyx. Calyx densely silky ; segments 

 -g-in. long, elliptic, obtuse, concave. Corolla I'm. long, divided 

 down to the middle ; lobes oblocg, reflexed, hairy outside near 

 the apex. Capsule i-Jin long, ovoid, pointed, hairy at the apex. 

 Seeds 4. (I)uthie.) 



The Indian plant di tiers from the common form C. cretica, 

 in having the capsule* 4 seeded. 



Uses : — It is considered by Sanskrit writers to be exhilarat- 

 ing, and to purify the blood and give tone to the system. It is 

 presented in decoction. 



