1186 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



The light rings occasionally anastomose. Pores moderate-sized 

 to large, scanty, irregularly distributed. Medullary rays 

 moderately broad, light coloured, rather short, not numerous. 

 (Gamble). Leaves thinly coriaceous (broad, rhomboid, says 

 Gamble), often very unequal-sided, angular and with intra- 

 marginal veins, the lowest pair of the base usually running 

 near the edge, intermediate and tertiary distinct. Petiole 

 i-^in. ; stipules i-Jin., ovate-lanceolate, convolute. Male 

 sepals 4-6, linear, fleshy, hairy; stamens 1, filament short, united 

 by its base to an abortive (insect attached) pistil. Gall flowers 

 perianth of the male ; ovary globose, smooth ; style short, 

 lateral. Female sepals 4, hyaline, linear, slightly hairy ; achene 

 slightly papillose, obliquely ovoid. Style lateral, elongate. 

 Receptacles minutely hairy, -f-|in. diam., peduncle up to -|in. 

 long, bracts at base of the peduncles. Fruit yellow when ripe. 

 A variable species. 



Uses : — The decoction of the root acts as a powerful aperient. 

 The root-bark is stomachic and gently aperient. The leaves 

 are used to polish ivory and given to cattle, being supposed 

 to increase the flow of milk. 



1176. F. bengalensis, Linn., h.f.b.i., v. 499. 

 Syn. : — Ficus indica, Linn., Roxb. 639. 

 Sans. : — Vata. 



Vern: — Bor, ber, bargad (H.) ; Bot (B. and Ass.) ; Boi 

 (Kol.) ; Boru (Ur.) ; Bare (Santal) ; Ranket (Garo) ; Borhar 

 (Nep.) ; Kangji (Lep.) ; Bor, bohr (Pb.) ; Baagat, bar (Pushtu) ; 

 Phagwari (Hazara) ; Wur, bur (Sind) ; War, vada (Mar.) ; Ala 

 (Tarn.) ; Mari, peddi mari (Tel.) ; Ahlada, (Kan.), Peralu, 

 peralin (Mai). 



Habitat : — Planted in all the plains of India ; wild only in 

 the Sub- Himalayan forests and on the lower slopes of the 

 Deccan Hills. 



A large or very large tree, branches spreading, sending down 

 to the ground numerous aerial roots which afterwards become 

 trunks. Bark |in. thick, greyish-white, smooth, exfoliating in 



