1066 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



slender axillary and terminal long slender simple or panicled 

 spikes of small clusters. Sepals closing the utricle. Seed 

 horizontal, smooth, shining; margin horizontal. Wight remarks 

 that the flowers are polygamous at Coimbatore. (J. D. Hooker.) 

 Uses: — This is said to afford an essential oil to which the 

 tonic and antispasmodic properties of the plant are attributed. 

 It is commonly reported that this plant is used as a substitute 

 for the officinal G. Anthelminticum, having in a milder degree 

 the anthelmintic properties of that plant. It is employed in 

 pectoral complaints and enjoys the European reputation as a 

 useful remedy in nervous affections, particularly chorea. Offi- 

 cinal preparation an infusion. It is remarkable that the pro- 

 perties of this plant should be practically unknown to the people 

 of India. (Watt. II. 267.) 



1044. Beta vulgaris, Linn., h.f.b.i., v. 5. 



Syn. : — B. benghalensis, Roxb. 260. 



Vern. :— Bit palang (B.) ; Lebleboo (Pb.) ; Palak (HA 



Habitat : — Largely cultivated in Bengal and Upper India. 



A succulent annual or perennial glabrous herb. Stem l-3ft., 

 erect, furrowed. Lower or root leaves ovate or oblong-obtuse, 

 often trowel-shaped, base cuneate or cordate, decurrent on the 

 petiole, margin waved, upper or cauline, short incurved, rhom- 

 bic-ovate, oblong-ovate or lanceolate. Flowers 2-sexual, sessile, 

 solitary or 2-3-adnate, in axillary spiked or cymose clusters. 

 Spikes 6-18in., slender; clusters remote. Bracts narrow, acute. 

 Perianth urceolate, 5-lobed, covering in fruit by their enlarged 

 hardened bases. Sepals oblong-obtuse, with membranous mar- 

 gins, thickened at base in fruit. Ovary depressed, sunk in 

 the fleshy annular disk. Style short, Stigmas 2-4-subulate. 

 Utricle adnate to the disk and base of perianth. Seed hori- 

 zontal, testa thin, albumen floury, Embryo annular. 



Use : — The seeds have cooling and diaphoretic properties. 



Bellew says that the fresh leaves are applied to burns and 



bruises. (Watt. 5 



The ethereal extract of the dry matter of the common mangel was examined 

 and found to contain triglycerides, free fatty acids, and two neutral subs- 



