N. O. EUPHOKBIACE^. 1177 



Iu Fiji, it is employed for the cure of leprosy, its mode of 

 application being very singular. The body of the patient is 

 first rubbed with green leaves ; he is then placed in a small 

 room and bound hand and foot, when a small fire is made of 

 pieces of the wood of this tree from which rises a thick smoke ; 

 the patient is suspended over this fire, and remains for some 

 hours in the midst of the poisonous smoke and under the most 

 agonizing torture, often fainting. When thoroughly smoked, 

 he is removed, and the slime is scraped from his body ; he is 

 then scarified and left to await the result. In some cases he 

 is cured, but frequently the patient dies under the ordeal. 

 (Smith's Econ. Die.) 



1164. E. acerifolia, F. Didrichs, H.F.B.I., v. 

 473. 



Vern. : — Basingh (Kumaon). 



Habitat : — Western and Central Himalaya from Nepal to 

 Kumaon. Khasia Mts. 



A small evergreen tree, milky, glabrous ; foliage deep-green. 

 Leaves 3-6 by l-2in., alternate, membranous, elliptic, oblong- 

 lanceolate, or oblanceolate, acuminate, serrulate or crenulate ; 

 nerves 8-10 pairs, strong beneath, arched, petiole |-iin., stout, 

 eglandular, Spikes terminal and axillary, l-2in., slender, an- 

 drogynous ; bracts rounded or acuminate, broadly ovate, acute, 

 entire, 2-3-fid. Male flowers : — sessile, 2-3 in. ; the axil of a broad- 

 ly ovate bract. Female flowers pedicelled, at the base of the 

 spikes. Male sepals lanceolate, acuminate, entire ; female 

 sepals broadly ovate, acute, glandular at the base within ; style 

 stout, very short. Capsule about fin. diam., 2-3-lobed; seeds 

 smooth, globosely ovoid, mottled. (J. D. Hooker.) 



Uses : — The Bhutias inhabiting East Kumaon use the leaves 

 of this plant as a remedy for rheumatism. (Watt.) 



1165. Sebastiania Chamcelea, Midl-Arg., h.f. 

 b.i , v. 475. 



Vern. : — Bhui-Erandi (Concan). 

 148 



