1130 Indian medicinal plants. 



ference, cylindric or fluted. Bark thick, very rough and cor- 

 rugated, brown. Branches numerous, curving upward, young 

 whorled, stout, fleshy, green, jointed with 3 very wide, thick 

 wings, which are narrowed to either end in each joint, and 

 very coarsely repand-crenate. Leaves very small, i-Jin., sessile 

 on summit of each crenation, cuneate, truncate, glabrous, fleshy, 

 almost nerveless, soon falling. Stipullary spines short, sharp 

 divaricate, persistent ; flower-heads in small, shortly stalked 

 cymes of 3, the central, sessile, the 2 lateral on long, stout 

 pedicels. Bracts opposite, obovate. Bracteoles abundant, fim- 

 briate. Involucre-glands 5 ; very large, much broader than 

 long, yellow, fleshy. Male flowers (stam.) numerous, mixed with 

 many laciniate branchlets ; female flowers : —ovary, nearly 

 sessile ; styles combined, for half their length ; capsule 3-lobed, 

 rather depressed ; lobes ovoid, slightly compressed. Flowers 

 greenish-yellow or pink. Usually appears leafless, as the small, 

 fleshy leaves are quickly deciduous ; contains abundance of pith 

 in the centre ; and the whole plant contains a very viscous, acrid, 

 milky juice. 



Uses : — A plaster, prepared from the roots and mixed with 

 asafoetida, is applied externally to the stomachs of children 

 suffering from worms. The bark of the root is purgative, and 

 the stem is given in decoction in gout (Wight and Rheede). 

 The juice, which flows from the branches, is used as a purga- 

 tive to relieve pain in the loins. It is an acrid irritant in 

 rheumatism and tooth-ache. When taken internally, it acts 

 as a drastic purgative. It is also employed in nervine diseases, 

 dropsy, palsy, deafness and amaurosis (Baden-Powell). A pre- 

 paration from this plant is in Chutia Nagpur given as a cure 

 for cough (Revd. A. Campbell). 



In the Nighantas the plants are described as purgative, pun- 

 gent, digestive, bitter and heavy, and are said to be useful in 

 constipation, flatulent distention, tumours, swellings, abdominal 

 enlargements, rheumatism, spleen, leprosy, mania and jaundice. 



They abound in an acrid milky juice, which is a popular 

 application to warts and other cutaneous affections. The na- 

 tive doctors purify arsenious acid by packing it in n hole made 



