898 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



with black pepper, in rheumatism. The leaves are also applied 

 locally, to relieve pain (B. D. Basu). A decoction of the plant 

 is used in cases of gonorrhoea. 



' The bud and flower, with salt (solution) good for watery 

 eyes (J. J. Wood's Plants of G India "Nagpur, p. 122). 



The fruit of this plant were found on analysis to have a similar composition 

 to those of the S. indicum, except that in this case the fruits were examined 

 in a fresh condition, and the solanine reactions of the alkaloid and the 

 almost entire absence of ammonia were noticed. The dried leaves left 20*74 

 per cent, of ash when burnt, and contained traces of an alkaloid, and an 

 astringent organic acid giving a green precipitate with ferric salts. (Pharma- 

 cographia Indica II, 559.) 



861. S. trilobatum, Linn, h.f.b.i., iv. 236; Roxb. 

 192. 



Sans. : — Alarka. 



Vern. : — Toodavullay (Tarn.) ; Moond-la-moosteh ; Oochinta 

 kura (Tel.) : Motaringani inula (M.) ; Nabhi-ankuri (Uriya). 



Habitat : — W. Deccan Peninsula ; from the Concan south- 

 wards and frequent, every common on waste ground, in dry 

 regions. 



A small under-shrub, subscandent by its numerous hooked 

 prickles. Stems 6-12ft., slender, with long divaricate branches, 

 with a few stellate hairs on the young shoots, otherwise nearly 

 glabrous, provided with many flattened, hooked, decurved, very 

 sharp prickles. Leaves f-ljin., irregularly 3-5-lobed, rotund, 

 ovate or ovate elliptic in outline, obtuse, glabrous, often with 

 2 or 3 small curved prickles in the midrib; base not cordate. 

 Petiole as long as the leaf or half as long, prickly. Peduncles 

 short, mostly extra-axillary short, 1-3-fid, pedicels J-lJin., with 

 very strong, short, recurved prickles. Flowers large, on long 

 divaricate or rehexed glabrous pedicels, says Trimen, rich violet- 

 purple. Cymes racemose, short, 3-9-flowered, nearly sessile, 

 Calyx small, slightly stellate, hairy, segments lanceolate acute, 

 hardly elongate in fruit. Corolla 1^-1 Jin. diam., stellate pube- 

 scent without, lobes very deep, oblong oval, obtuse, usually 

 reflexed. Berry fin., smooth, scarlet, globose, much exceeding 

 the Calyx-lobes. Seeds fin., smooth, or very nearly so. Berries 

 edible. 



