1306 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



Uses : — "The natives of Bengal esteem it a plant of great 



value, because they think it an easy, speedy and certain cure 



for the troublesome eruption called ringworm. (Hon'ble John 



Hyde, in a letter to Roxburgh.) Agardh notices its use in itch 



and leprosy. (Dymock.) 



Chemical composition— The plant contains a red colouring matter soluble 

 in alcohol and intensified by alkalies and having some reactions peculiar to 

 chrysophanic acid. (Pharmacogr. Ind., III., 511.) 



N. 0. COMMELIN&CEiE. 



1291. Commelina obliqua, Ham., H.F.B.I., VI., 

 372. 



Syn. : — C. communis, Roxb. 57. 



Sans. : — Kanchata. 



Vern. : — Korna, kanjura, kana (Hind) ; Jata-kanchura, jata- 

 kansbira (B.). 



Habitat : — Throughout India, from the base of the Himalaya 

 to 6,000ft. The Western Ghats, Singapore, Ceylon. 



An annual herb, 2-3ft., stout, branched, glabrous. Branches 

 widely creeping below. Leaves very variable, 4-7 by l-2in., 

 sessile or petioled, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, finely acu- 

 minate or caudate, membranous, glabrous, scabrous or villous. 

 Sheath f-lin. ; mouth ciliate, with long hairs. Spathes sessile 

 or very shortly pe'luneled, f-lin. broad and long, solitary 

 or crowded, turbinately funnel-shaped, cuspidate, glabrous. 

 Raceme usually simple. Flowers bright-blue, fin. across, 

 clawed. Petals orbicular, pale-blue, one of tbem nearly white 

 (Collett). Ovary 3-celled. Ovule 1 in each cell. Capsule -|in. 

 long obovoid or oblong, trigonous, 3-celled, 3-valved, 3-seeded. 

 Seeds -fin. long, oblong or ellipsoid smooth, puberulous, lead- 

 coloured, margins often marbled. (Trimen.) (J. D. Hooker). 



- Uses : — The root is useful in vertigo, fevers and bilious 

 affections, and as an antidote to snake-bites. (Atkinson.) Ac- 

 cording to Loureiro, it is refrigerant and laxative, and to be 

 useful in strangury and costiveness. 



