N. 0. VERBENACE^. 989 



Vevn. : — Bastra (H.) ; Massandari (B.) ; Aisar (Bom.); Koat- 



Komul (Tarn.) ; Tondik-teregam (Mai.) 



IV. B.— The plant known as Aisar at Matlieran is Callicarpa Cam, Linn., 

 (K.R.K.) 



Habitat : — Western and Southern India and the Oircars. 



A small or moderate-sized bushy tree, 30-40ft. Branchlets 

 stout, cylindric, closely covered with a thick felt (easily detached) 

 of stellate hair, young parts very densely stellate-tomentose. 

 Leaves large 6-9in., ovate, rounded or obtuse at the base, 

 slightly acuminate, acute, entire, glabrous when mature, rugose 

 and bright green above, densely covered with a close felt of white 

 or yellowish stellate hair beneath. Petiole f-2in., stout, very 

 tomentose. Flowers pale pinkish, lilac, sessile, in clusters of 3. 

 Cymes shortly pedunculate, divaricately branched, densely 

 stellate-tomentose. Bracts linear. Calyx membranous, stellate- 

 tomentose. Corolla glabrous, tube -§-in., lobes oblong, obtuse, 

 recurved. Anthers cream-coloured. Drupe under Jin., globose, 

 black, shining. 



Uses : — Both leaves and bark are faintly aromatic and bit- 

 terish, and afford much mucilage when boiled. The leaves 

 boiled in milk are used as a wash for aphthae of the mouth, 

 and that the bark and root boiled in water yield a decoction 

 which is used to lessen febrile heat and remove hepatic obstruc- 

 tion and hepatie eruptions (Rheede). Ainslie says that " this 

 plant is reckoned by the Javanese amongst their emollients. The 

 bark possesses a peculiar sub-aromatic and slightly bitterish 

 taste and may probably be found to have other medicinal virtues. 

 The Malays consider the plant as a diuretic." According to Drury, 

 the root is employed in Upper India in cutaneous affections, 

 In Ceylon the leaves and bark are used both internally and 

 externally. The bark is said also to be chewed (Trimen). 



949. 0. macrophylla, Vahl., h.f.b.l, jv. 568. 



Syn. : — C incana, Roxb. 131. 



Vern. : — Pattharman, sumali, denthar, daya (Himalayan 

 names) ; Mathara, mattranja (Beng.) ; Ba-pattra, bauna (Pb.). 



Habitat :— Throughout N. and E. India, ascending to 6,000ft, 



