N. 0. PALMES. 1315 



of cough, asthma and other chest complaints ; also in fever, 

 gonorrhoea, &c. The gum is esteemed as a useful remedy in 

 diarrhoea and diseases of the genito-urinary system. Long 

 continued use of the fruit is said to produce soreness of the 

 gums. Honigberger states that the inspissated juice was, in 

 his time, officinal in Lahore. The natives of South India make 

 a paste of the seeds by triturition with water, and apply it 

 over the eyelids for opacity of the cornea. The fresh juice is 

 cooling and laxative. In the cold season, when the juice does 

 not undergo fermentation, it is an excellent medicine. 



" Date-sugar " is more nutritious and agreeable than Cane- 

 sugar. It can be used as a substitute for maltine and its various 

 preparations. (Dr. R. L. Dutt. in Watt's Die). 



The tree yields a gum (huhu chil), used medicinally in the 

 Punjab (Watt.) 



1300. P. sylvestris, Roxb., h.f.b.l, vl, 425 ; 

 Roxb. 723. 



Sans. : — Khurjhuri, kharjuru, madhukshir. 



Vern. :--Sendhi, khajur, khaji, thalma, (H.); Kajar, khejur 

 (Beng.) ; Khejuri (Ur.) ; Khajur (Kol.) ; Khijur (Santal); Sindi 

 (Gond.) ; Khajur, khaji, juice = sendhi, tari (Pb.) ; Sendi (Berar) ; 

 Boichand, sendri, Shindi (Mar.) ; Karak (Griiz.) ; Itchumpannay, 

 peria-itcham itchamnar, (Tarn.) ; Ita, peddaita, ita-nara, ishan- 

 chedi (Tel?) ; Ichal kullu, ichalu mara (Kan.) 



Habitat: — Cultivated throughout the plains of India and 

 Burma. Wild in the Indus basin. The seeds are eaten by 

 birds and dropped undigested with their excreta. That may 

 partly account for so-called wild growth of this very handsome 

 hardy palm. 



An erect palm, reaching 40-50ft. high, l-2ft. in girth. Stem 

 thick, densely crowded with the bases of the petioles of the 

 leaves or marked by prominent scars if the leaves have fallen. 

 Wood light-brown, outer cylinder hard and rough ; inner soft. 

 The crown 12-loft. in diameter. Near the ground there is often 

 a dense mass of rootlets, no root-suckers. Leaves 10-15ft., quite 

 glabrous, greyish-green. Spines up to 4in. long ; leaflets 6-18 



