1354 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



falcately incurved, anthers small. Nut obovoid or oblong, 

 apiculate pale red-brown, style longer or shorter than the nut. 

 Flowers all the year round. The wings of the two upper 

 glumes sometimes undeveloped, but the keel is always spinulose, 

 and the species may always be recognized by their glumes 

 having their tips narrowed with long cusps. (Trimen.) 



Uses : — The two above-mentioned plants are the Nirvisha of 

 Sanskrit medical writers, who describe them as antidotal to cer- 

 tain poisons. Rheede describes K. triceps and K. monocephala 

 as having similar properties, and states that the former plant 

 is called Coquinha by the Portuguese. In Malabar, a deccc- 

 tion of the roots is used to relieve thirst in fevers and 

 diabetes, and oil boiled with the roots to relieve pruritus of the 

 skin. He also states that they distil an oil from the roots, 

 which is of a dark yellowish-green colour, pleasant odour and 

 pungent taste, and which is used for the same purposes as the 

 decoction and to promote the action of the liver. 



Irving states that K. monocephala is used at Ajmere as an 

 antidote like zedoary, and Roxburgh notices its use as an 

 antidote in Bengal. These plants have the odour, and apparently 

 all the qualities, of Cyperus rotundus. 



1326. Juncellus inundatus, Clarke, h.f.b.l, vi. 

 595. 



Syn. :— Cyperus inundatus, Roxb. 68. 

 Vern. :— Pati (B. & H.). 



Habitat : —In abundance on the low banks of the Ganges 

 and near Calcutta. Bengal, from Sylhet to the Sea. 



A stout perennial. Root jointed, creeping, stoloniferous. 

 Stem 2-4ft. high, about as thick as the finger, triquetrous. 

 Leaves numerous, radical surrounding the base of stem, most 

 deeply channelled on the inside, and keeled on the back. 

 Rhachis of spike glabrous, l-2in. universal involucre compound 

 of 4-5 leaves of very unequal lengths, the largest being 2ft. or 

 more long, and the shortest as many inches ; partial involucre 

 subulate. Umbel decompound, erect, about a span long. 



