N. 0. VERBBENACEjE. 1007 



there will be no confusion. C. serratum has a light-coloured root, very often 

 contorted, and seldom more than an inch in diameter. A light brown 

 epidermis and thin bark cover the tough woody portion, which shows well- 

 marked medullary rays and concentric rings. The drug contains much 

 starch, it is faintly bitter, and has no peculiar odour. The young tops and 

 light blue flowers are used as a vegetable by the natives. 



The root of C. serratum did not yield anything of great activity when 

 examined chemically, which proves that there is little to recommend it as a 

 medical agent." 



965. G. infortunatum, Goertn., h.f.b.l, tv. 594. 

 Syn. : — Volkameria infortunata, Roxb. 478. 



Vern. :— Bhant, bhat (Hind.); Chitu (Nepal); Kadung 

 (Lepcha) ; Lukunah (Mechi) ; Khaoung-gyee (Burin.); Pera- 

 goo (Mai.) ; Barangi (Punj.) ; Bakada (Tel.) ; Karu (Dehra Dun). 



Habitat: — Very common in the warm region throughout 

 India, from Gurhwal and Assam to Ceylon. 



A shrub or small slender tree often gregarious 4-10ft. 

 branchlets bluntly quadrangular, yellowish or white villous 

 silky pubescent upwards.. Petioles, underside of leaves inflores- 

 cence slightly pubescent. Leaves large, 4-6in., ovate, cordate 

 or rounded at base, acuminate, acute or sub-acute, entire, thinly 

 hairy on both sides, especially on the veins beneath, somewhat 

 3-nerved from base, venation prominent beneath. Petiole lj-3in., 

 Cylindric, pubescent. Flowers large, white pink-tinged, on 

 rather long pedicels, cymes stalked, in large lax, pyramidal 

 pubescent panicles. Bracts leafy, deciduous. Calyx Jin., silky 

 pubescent, very much enlarged in fruit, segments deep, lanceo- 

 late, very acute. Corolla-tube about lin„ slender, lobes, large, 

 Jin., oblong, obtuse. Drupe fin. nearly globose, succulent, 

 purplish black, shining, seated in centre of the very much 

 enlarged, spreading, succulent bright pink Calyx, ljin. diam., 

 pyrene usually solitary brittle (Trimen). 



Uses: — "Dr. Bholanauth Bose calls attention to the leaves 

 as a cheap and efficient substitute for chiretta as a tonic and 

 antiperiodic. The fresh juice of the leaves is stated by Mr. 

 Kanny Lall Dey to be employed by the natives as a vermifuge, 

 and also as a bitter tonic and febrifuge in malarious fevers, 

 especially in those of children " (Ph. Ind.). The leaves and 



