N. O. LABIATE. 1015 



other cutaneous diseases. An infusion of the leaves is used as 

 a stomachic in the gastric disorders of children, and in hepatic 

 affections. The dried leaves are powdered and employed as 

 a snuff in ozsena. They are also an effectual means of dislodg- 

 ing maggots. The root is given in decoction as a diaphoretic 

 in malarial fevers. The seeds are mucilaginous and demulcent, 

 and are given in disorders of the genito-urinary system. The 

 juice of the leaves dropped into the ear, is said to be a good 

 remedy for ear-ache. 



The Mosquito plant — Ocimum viride. 



Sir George Bird wood writes to the " Times " under date April 29th 1904 : — 

 " When the Victoria Gardens and Albert Museum were established in Bombay, 

 the men employed on these works were at first so pestered by mosquitos and 

 suffered so much from malarial fever, that on the recommendation of the Hindu 

 kdrbdri (" manager "), the whole boundary of the gardens was planted with 

 holy basil and any other basil at hand, on which the plague of mosquitos was 

 at once abated, and fever altogether disappeared from among the resident 

 gardeners and temporarily resident masons. The site of the gardens had ever 

 before been one of the worst malarial-stricken spots on the island of Bombay. 

 No one in those days knew anything of the " mosquito-malaria theory " of 

 to-day. I myself used myrrh as a protection against mosquitos. They never 

 came near any bed in which a little myrrh was burnt or a little tincture of 

 myrrh sprinkled when retiring for the night. I never knew natives who used 

 much cinnamon or cloves, etc., in their daily diet ever take malarial fever or 

 die of cholera." 



K. R. Kirtikar's note on Sir George Birdwood's remarks : — 

 Sir George speaks of the Holy basil. It is the Tulsi plant— the Ocimum 

 sanctum, Linn. Among the "other basils," he speaks of is our Sabja plant, 

 Ocimum basilicum, Linn. I think, it therefore, to include Sir George's remarks 

 under either O. sanctum or O. basilicum. 



Ocimum viride Willd., Enum Hort. Berol 629— is from Tropical Africa. 

 See p. 326 Fasc. III. Hooker's Kew Index, 1894. 



(1) Ocimum febrifugum Lindl. in Bot. Register Tab 753 is given as a 

 synonym by Hooker in the same Index Kewenses at p. 325 of Ocimum viride. 



(2) Ocimum hoptodon, Beanm. Fl. Owar II. 59 to 94 is also a synonym, 

 given by Hooker at the same page. 



972. Geniosporum prostration, Bentli., h.f.b.i., 

 iv. 610. 



Vern :— Nazel-nagai (Tarn.) 



Habitat : — Deccan Peninsula, from the Concan southwards. 



