N. 0. ACANTHAOEJE. 965 



ovate, subsessile, nearly glabrous, 4J- by 2in., obtuse or sub- 

 acute ; petiole scarcely |in. Spikes l-2in., sometimes agglo- 

 merated into axillary globes, 3-4in. diam., bracts ^in., purplish. 

 Calyx £in., one lobe shortly 3-toothed, the other deeply 2-fid. 

 Corolla §in., limb a line blue, obconic, subentire, plicate ; 

 lower lip of 3 very depressed triangular lobes, upper an emargin- 

 ate subsimilar lobe. Anthers pubescent. Capsule fin., 

 4-seeded. Seeds |in., diamet. The plant appears rarely to 

 seed. 



Uses. — It is powdered and made into a paste which is used to 

 cure ringworm, and the roots are administered in that form of 

 indigestion in which fatty or saponaceous, grape-like masses are 

 observed in the stools. They resemble Serpentaria in appearance, 

 but may be distinguished by the thick covering of white, silky 

 hairs upon the root stock. The roots have hardly any taste. 



926. Andrographis paniculata, Nees. h.f.b.i., 

 iv. 501. 



Syn. : — Justicia paniculata, Burnt. Roxb. 40. 



Sans. : — Kirata ; Bhunimba ; Mahatikta (king of bitters). 



Vern. : — Kiryat, charayetah, mahatia (Hind.) ; Kalmegh, 

 mahatia (Beng.)'; Olenkirayat (Mar.) ; Kiryata, olikiryat, kiryato, 

 kariyatu (Guz.) ; Charayetah, kalafnath (Duk.) ; Nila-vembu, 

 shirat-kuchch (Tarn.) ; Nela-vemu (Tel.) ; Nila-veppu, kiriyattu 

 (Mala.) : Nela-bevinagida, kreata (Kan.) 



Habitat : — Througout India, from Lucknow and Assam to 

 Ceylon (probably introduced in some of the northern stations). 



An erect annual, l-3ft. high, branches sharply 4-angled or 

 almost winged. Leaves 2-3in. long, lanceolate, acute, tapering 

 to the base, paler beneath, main lateral nerves 4-6 pairs, 

 petioles none or up to \ in. long. Flowers small, solitary, 

 arranged in lax spreading axillary and terminal racemes or 

 panicles, the whole forming a large paniculate inflorescence ; 

 pedicels distinct, gland. -pubescent ; bracts ioJu. long, lanceolate 

 bracteoles smaller or none. Calyx \ in. long ; segments equal 

 linear-lanceolate, gland. -pubescent. Corolla pink, fin. long, 

 hairy outside, tube Jin. long, dilated below the limb. Filaments 



