N. O. PLANTAGINE.E. 1051 



1026. P. amplexicaulis, Cav., h.f.b.i. iv. 700. 



Vern. : — Gajpipali, isafgol, spighwal (Pb.). 



Habitat : — Panjab Plains, from the Sutlej westwards. 

 Malwa, Sindh on the Boogta Hills. 



An annual or perennial herb, stemless or subcauleseent, 

 sparsely hairy a subglabrescent, branched from the base 2-4in. 

 high, bearing axillary leaves and scapes. Leaves long, very 

 narrowly lanceolate, finely acuminate 3-nerved, base sheathing. 

 Scapes very numerous, stout, glabrous, axillary. Spikes ovoid 

 f-ljin. Flowers large. Bracts cupular, glabrous, membranous, 

 except the green rib. Sepals rounded, outer with a green keel, 

 inner all membranous. Corolla-lobes ovate, acute. Seeds -^in., 

 boatshaped, brown. Septum i-Jin., oblong thickened, black, 



Uses : — Said to be an astringent, useful in intermittent fever, 

 and as an application to the eyes in ophthalmia ; also used as 

 an antidote for sanke-bite ; highly valuable in pulmonary 

 affections. (Ainslie.) 



1027. P. ovata, Fovsk., h.f.b.i., iv. 707. 



Syn. : — P. Ispaghula, Roxb. 135. 



Vern. : — Isubgol (H.) ; Isabgul (B.) ; Spungar fSind/; Isapgul 

 (M.). Esopgol, uthamu-jirun Guz.; Iskolviiai (Tarn.); Jsabagala 

 vittulu (Tel.) ; Isabagolu, Visamagolu (Kan.). 



The seeds are not mentioned by the old Hindu writers, but the Guzerati 

 name appears to be of Sanskrit origin. In all the vernaculars, corruptions 

 of the Persian name, Ispaghul, are in use. This word is a compound of ,_^J 

 "a horse, " and J J " the ear,'' in allusion to the shape of the seeds (Dymock.) 



Habitat : — Punjab Plains and low Hills, from the Sutlej 

 westwards ; Sindh. 



An annual, stemless or subcauleseent herb, sparsely or thickly 

 villous. Stem rarely branched from the base. Leaves all radical. 

 3-9in., rarely Jin. diam., usually 3-nerved, entire or distantly 

 toothed, narrow-linear or filiform, finely acuminate. Scapes 

 glabrous, pubescent, longer or shorter than the leaves. Spikes 

 J-1J, ovoid a cylindric. Bracts with broad scarious margins, 

 ovate, oblong, obtuse, glabrous. Corolla glabrous ; lobes rounded, 

 concave, obtuse. Sepals sub-similar, glabrous or pubescent. 

 Capsule 2-celled, cell 1 -seeded. Seeds cymbiform. 



