N. O. POLYGON ACEiE. 1083 



bazars, and used as an aphrodisiac (Atkinson). 



N. B.— According to Murray (Plants and Drugs of Si nd), the fruit of 

 Pohjgommi aviculare is known as Bijbund or Eudrani in Sind. It is probable 

 that seed of several species of Polygonum and Rumex are collected and sold 

 as Bijband. 



1071. R. dentatus, Linn., h.f.b.i., v. 59. 



Habitat : — Plains of India, from Assam and Sylhet to the 

 Indus, ascending the Himalaya to 1,000 ft., Sind and Concan. 



An erect annual, l-2ft. high. Stems grooved, glabrous, 

 usually tinged with red. Leaves 3-4in. long, oblong, obtuse, 

 glabrous, base rounded or cordate, petioles of radical leaves up 

 to 2|in. long. Flowers shortly pedicelled, 2-sexual, arranged 

 in distinct leafy or leafless whorls. Perianth f-Jin. long ; inner 

 segments broadly ovate, reticulate-veined, much enlarged in fruit 

 and with an ovoid-oblong smooth tubercle on its back, margins 

 irregularly toothed or pectinate ; the teeth numerous, short, 

 straight, not hooked. Nutlets iain. long, acutely 3-gonous or 

 almost winged. (Duthie.) 



Use : — The root yields a dye, and is used as an astringent 

 application in cutaneous disorders (Watt). 



1072, R. nepalensis, Spreng., h.f.b.i., v. 60. 

 Habitat : — Temperate Himalaya, from Bhotan to Kashmir ; 



Khasia Mts., Western Peninsula ; on the Ghats. 



Tall herbs. Roots with tuberous fibres. Stem 2-4ft, stout, 

 erect. Branches stiff, spreading. Radical leaves often 6-14 by 

 3-5in., undulate or not, large oblong, ovate-oblong or triangular- 

 ovate, acute or obtuse, base widely or narrowly cordate, upper 

 sessile or petioled, similar or with narrowed bases, or lanceolate. 

 Flowers 2-sexual, in whorls forming long, nearly leafless, race- 

 mes. Fruiting sepals broadly ovate, fringed one thickend and 

 forming an oblong tubercle. 



Uses : — The tuberous roots are said to be sold in the bazars 

 of Bengal under the name of Rewund Chini as a substitute 

 for rhubarb. They are given in constipation, in doses of 10 gr. 

 to 120 gr. (Irvine). 



Oswald Hesse has isolated from the root three new substances, one of which, 

 ruinicin, is isomeric with, and closely resembles, chrysophanic acid, but is not 

 identical with it. 



