N. 0. SOLANACE^. 911 



Department at a cost of about four pence per pound, so that there is every 

 prospect of Belladonna being grown profitably in Kumaun. -The Tropical 

 Agricu'turist, from the Annual Reports, Kumaun Government Gardens,'] Indian 

 Forester, April 1914. 



870. Datura stramonium, Linn, h.f.b.i., iv. 242. 



Vern. :— Sada dhutura (B.) ; Umatai (Tam.) ; Ummetta (Tel.) 



Habitat : — Simla on waste ground. Temperate Himalaya, 

 from Kashmir to Sikkim. Nearly throughout the globe, in 

 temperate and warm climates. 



An annual, erect, coarse, nearly glabrous, herb; 2-4ft. Leaves 

 stalked, ovate, about 7 by 4in., coarsely and irregularly lobed and 

 toothed. Flowers white, single, on short, usually axillary, stalks. 

 Calyx tubular, 1-lfin., 4-5-toothed, 5-ribbed. Corolla funnel- 

 shaped, 3-6in. long ; limb spreading, l-3in. across, 5-lobed, 

 folding at the angles, lobes ending in narrow points. Stamens 

 included. Ovary 4-lobed, 2-celled, covered with short, soft points. 

 Stigma 2-lobed, oblong. Capsule ovoid, about 1 J by lin., covered 

 with rigid sharp prickles, surrounded at base by the enlarged 

 reflexed lower part of Calyx, ultimately 4-celled in the lower 

 portion, opening nearly to the base by 4 valves. Seeds reniform, 

 wrinkled. 



Uses : — Officinal in both Pharmacopseias. 



The British Medical Journal for May 16, 1903 contains an 

 article on " Datura poisoning in the Federated Malay States, " 

 by Mr. John D. Gimlette, in which regarding its uses by natives 

 of those states, he says : — 



" The leaves are almost universally used in the treatment of 

 asthma, but it is significant to note that Datura is not often 

 given internally by natives. The Malays mix leaves with wine 

 or powdered rice and saffron, and apply them externally for 

 various pains and swellings. They will heat them over a torch 

 until smoked, and then apply them as a poultice over the spleen 

 in intermittent fever. The root is powdered and applied to 

 the gums in order to relieve the pain of toothache. The flowers 

 are dried and roughly powdered with or without the leaves and 

 rolled into cigarettes for the relief of asthma." 



Var. :— Tatula: h.f.b.i. iv. 242. 



