1192 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



Medullary rays uniform and equidistant, moderately broad. 

 (Gamble). Leaves coriaceous, upper surface shining, lower 

 minutely tuberculate when dry, long-petiolate, ovate-rotund, 

 narrowed upwards and the apex produced into a linear lanceo- 

 late tail, edges entire, undulate ; base broad, rounded to 

 truncate, sometimes a little narrowed at the union with the 

 petiole occasionally emarginate or in young leaves, very cordate, 

 from 5 to 7-nerved ; lateral primary nerves about 8 pairs, 

 reticulations five, distinct ; length of blade from 4-5 to 7in. of 

 which the apical tail forms about a third, breadth 3 to 4-5in. 

 petioles from 3-4in.,long, slender. Stipules minute, ovate, acute ; 

 receptacles in pair, axillary sessile, smooth, depressed, spheroidal, 

 when ripe dark-purple, 5in. across, with 3 broad, spreading, 

 coriaceous basal bracts. Male flowers very few and only near the 

 mouth of some receptacle (absent in many), sessile ; the perianth 

 of 3 broadly ovate pieces, anther single, ovate-rotund, its 

 filament short. Gall and fertile flowers : — sessile or pedicillate; 

 the perianth of 5 lanceolate pieces ; style short, lateral ; stigma 

 rounded, the galls much more numerous than the fertile 

 females, and many of them without perianth. 



Uses : — The bark is astringent, used in gonorrhoea. It has 

 also maturative properties. The fruit is laxative and helps 

 digestion. The seeds are said to be cooling and alterative. 

 The leaves and young shoots are used as a purgative, and an 

 infusion of the bark is given internally in scabies. (Ainslie and 

 Wight.) A paste of the powdered bark is used as an absorbent 

 in inflammatory swellings. (Dr. Emerson.) According to 

 Bartolomeo (Voyage to the East Indies) the dried fruit " pulverized 

 and taken in water for a fortnight, removes asthma and 

 produces fruitfulness in women." Water in which the freshly- 

 burnt bark has been steeped is said to cure cases of obstinate 

 hiccup. (Dr. Thornton.) In cracked foot the juice is employed. 

 (Asst.-Surg. T. N. Ghose.) The powder of the dried bark is 

 used in fistula in ano. I have seen a Hakim use it with 

 benefit in the following way : he introduced a metallic tube, 

 something like a blow pipe, into the fistula, and putting a 

 small quantity of the powder into it, blew the same into the 

 fistula. (Asst.-Surg. Nobin Ch. Dutt Watt's Die.) 



