N. U LABIATE. 1041 



Uabitat :— Deccan Peninsula. Common in the Western 

 Ghauts. 



A shrubby annual herb, densely tomentose or thickly woolly, 

 4-6ft. Branches sometimes very stout and most densely clothed 

 with somewhat adpressed wool. Leaves 2-6in., very thick, 

 oblong, linear-oblong or oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, acute or 

 acuminate, crenate or serrate ; base cuneate, very rarely cordate. 

 Petiole irJin., very stout. Spikes sometimes very heavy with 

 dense whorls, 2in. diam , densely woolly ; bracts filiform, 

 Calyx ]— gin., villous or woolly ; teeth narrow lanceolate, 

 slender. Corolla purple. Nutlets pale. 



Uses : — In Southern India, few plants are held in higher 

 esteem, or are more frequently employed in native practice, than 

 this. An infusion of the aromatic bitter leaves is in common use 

 in affections of the stomach and bowels, catarrhal affections and 

 intermittent fevers. According to Dr. Wight (Ilhcst., vol. ii, 

 p. 221), in addition to its internal use in the cure of fevers, 

 patients are made to inhale the vapour of a hot infusion so as 

 to induce copious diaphoresis An infusion of the leaves is 

 reported by Dr. M Ross to be powerfully diaphoretic, and 

 very useful in the low continued fevers of the natives. An 

 oil obtained by distillation of the leaves is likewise stated to 

 prove an effectual external application in rheumatism. The 

 virtues of this plant seem worthy of further investigation (Ph. 

 Ind..). " Ainslie tells us that an infusion of the leaves is 

 given to children in colic, dyspepsia and fever arising from 

 teething. A decoction of the plant, or the essential oil distilled 

 from the leaves, is used externally in rheumatism " (Dymock). 



1011. Stachys parviflora, Benth., h. f.b.i. , iv. 677. 



Vera. : — Kirimara ; Baggibuti (Pb.) ; Speraghunai (Pushtu). 



Habitat : — Punjab Plains and Hills, from the Jhelum east- 

 wards and northwards to Murree. 



Herbs densely clothed with floculent white wool, branched 



from the base and upwards. Stem and branches very stout 



nearly terete. Leaves l-3in., sessile, thick, elliptic oblong or 



oblong uvate, or lanceolate, sub-acute entire or serrate ; floral 



far exceeding the flowers, glabrous and shining or cottony 

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