N. 0. EUl'HOKUIAOK^. 1161 



Habitat : — A small annual shrub occurring as a weed in 

 gardens and road-sides throughout India. 



A pubescent, herbaceous, erect annual, l-3ft. Branches 

 numerous, long, ascending, angular, finely pubescent. Leaves 

 lj-3in, rhomboid-ovate, tapering at base, acute, serrate, 

 glabrous, thin, somewhat 3-nerved at base, pale-green. Petiole 

 usually longer than leaves, slender, spreading. Stipules minute. 

 Flowers sessile, green, in numerous lax, erect, axillary spikes ; 

 males very small, clustered near summit. Stamens 8 ; females 

 solitary, scattered, each with a large, leafy, truncate, dentate 

 bract. Ovary hispid. Capsule small, quite concealed by 

 enlarged bract, often only 1-seeded. Seed ovoid, acute, smooth. 



A common weed flowering all the year round. 



Uses : — There is no mention of this plant in Sanscrit works 

 on Medicine. It is used as expectorant as a substitute for 

 senega. It has also a diuretic action. It is a useful remedy 

 for bronchitis, asthma and pneumonia ; also for rheumatism. 

 It was formerly employed as a purgative and anthelmintic. 



" The roots, leaves, and tender shoots are all used in medicine 

 by the Hindus. The powder of the dry leaves is given to 

 children in worm cases, also a decoction prepared from the 

 leaves with the addition of a little garlic. The juice of the 

 same part of the plant, together with that of the tender shoots, 

 is occasionally mixed with a small portion of margosa oil, 

 and rubbed on the tongues of infants for the purpose of 

 sickening them and clearing their stomachs of viscid phlegm. 

 The hakims prescribe the koopamaynee in consumption." 

 (Ainslie, Mat. Ind. II., 16 L.) " The leaves with garlic are regard- 

 ed as anthelmintic ; mixed with common salt the leaves are 

 applied externally in scabies, and the juice rubbed up with oil 

 is used externally in rheumatism." (Balf. Cycl.) According 

 to Rheede, the root is used as a purgative on the Malabar Coast. 

 (Hort. Mai, X, 161.) This property " is confirmed by Dr. H. E. 

 Busteed, who has used it as a laxative for children." A contri- 

 butor in Dacca informs me he uses it as a laxative, and in an 

 official correspondence with the Government of India, Rai Kanai 



Lai De, Bahadur, includes the muktajhuri amongst emetics. In 

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