1036 INDUN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



2-3ft. Leaves f-ljin., sometimes almost as broad, lower floral 

 large ; shortly petioled, ovate-cordate, obtuse-crenate. Spikes 

 4-8in., pale ; whorls secund dense -fid, in long interrupted villous 

 spikes, upper crowded. Bracts lanceolate, often tinged with 

 purple. Flowers |in. long, lilac. Calyx i'm. curved villous, 

 hairs long ; teeth linear lanceolate, shorter than the tube often 

 tinged with purple. Corolla very small, about one-third inch lilac, 

 hairy, tube slender, longer than calyx (Collett). Nutlets broadly 

 ellipsoid. J. D. Hooker says the plant is very like N. Rude- 

 rulis, but the inflorescence is more simple, the whorls rarely 

 ped uncled. Bentham describes the nutlets as minutely granular, 

 but says Hooker that he finds them smooth. 



Uses. — It is given in sherbet for fever and cough (Stewart). 



1004. N. ruderalis, Hamilt., h.f.b.l, iv. 661. 



Syn. — Glechoma, erecta, Roxb. 460. 



Vern. — Billi-lotan, Badranj boya, Bebrang khatai (Pb.) ; 

 Niasbo (Nepal). 



Habitat. —Tropical and Sub-tropical India, from the Tndus 

 to Behar, Central India and the Concan, ascending the Himalaya 



to 8,000ft. 



Annual herbs, erect or ascending, finely pubescent or hoary, 

 stem 6-18in., branched from the base, robust or slender, obtuse- 

 ly 4-angled. Leaves broadly ovate or orbicular-cordate, obtuse 

 crenate, J-2iin., green or hoary ; petiole |-liin. Whorls J-lin. 

 diam., unilateral, depressed ; peduncles lin. Flowers pedicelled, 

 iin. long, blue or purple, minutely darker dotted. Calyx hairy ; 

 teeth linear-lanceolate, shorter than the tube. Corolla pubescent, 

 slightly longer than the calyx, Jin., purplish, says J. D. 

 Hooker. "Calyx Jin., villious, mouth sub-equal, 3 upper teeth 

 triangular, aristate, 2 lower filiform " (Hooker). Nutlets obscurely 

 granulate, jfcm. long, broad oblong, brown, spotted with white, 

 mucilaginous when moistened. The granulation, says J. D, 

 Hooker, consists of more or less tumid areolae and is sometimes 

 very distinct. 



Uses. — Supposed to be cardiac tonic (Stewart). Decoction 

 used as a gargle in sore-throat. Largely used in fevers (Dr. 



