341 



FICOIDEAE. 



Trianthema, Linn. 



Trianthema monogyna, Linn. ; Fl. Trop. Afr. II. p. 587. 



III. — Lam. Encycl. t. 375 ; Ann. Sc. Nat. Paris, Series 3, xviii. 

 (1852), t. 12 ; De Candolle, PI. Grass, t. 109. 



Katagum (Dalziel, No. 115, 1907, Herb. Kew) ; collected also at 

 Cape Coast. Cosmopolitan in the tropics. 



In India the leaves and stems are eaten when young as a vegetable, 

 after being well boiled, though sometimes said to have pDisonous 

 effects, producing paralysis and diarrhoea (Diet. Econ. Prod. India ; 

 Dymock, Pharmacog. Indica ii. p. 102), and various medicinal uses 

 are attributed to the root (Dymock, I.e.). 



Trianthema pentandra, Linn. ; Fl. Trop. Afr. II. p. 588. 



III.— Gaertner, Fruct. Sem. PI. ii. t, 128 ; Lam. Encycl. t. 375, 

 f. 2 j Thonner, Bliitenpfl. Afr. t, 44. 



Katagum (Dalziel, No. 116, 1907, Herb. Kew) ; Borgu (Barter, 

 No. 711) ; Kouka (Vogel, No. 52). Found also in Sierra Leone, 

 Gambia, Nubia, Senaar, Kordofan, &c, occurring in India. 



Used in the Sudan as a stomachic for men and cattle, and as a cure 

 for gonorrhoea (Broun, Herb. Kew). In India eaten as a pot-herb in 

 times of scarcity, though liable to produce diarrhoea and paralysis ; 

 medicinally it is an astringent used in abdominal diseases (Diet. 

 Econ. Prod. India). 



MOLLUGO, Linn. 



Mollugo Cerviana, Seringe ; Fl. Trop. Afr. II. p. 591. 



III. — Gaertner, Fruct. Sem. PI. ii. t. 130 {Pharnaceum Cerviana) . 

 Lam. Encycl. t. 211, f. 1 {Pharnaceum Cerviana). 



Katagum ; Yola ; Nupe. Widely distributed in Tropical Africa, 

 from Senegambia to Mozambique and extends to the Cape, also in 

 Asia, Australia and S. Europe. 



Used as a medicine in fevers, India (Diet. Econ. Prod. India). 



Found in dry river beds, Katagum and Yola (Dalziel, Herb. 

 Kew) ; sand banks, Nupe (Barter, Herb. Kew). 



Mollugo Spergula, Linn. ; Fl. Trop. Afr. II. p. 590. 



III. — Rheede, Hort. Mai. x. t. 21 ; Burman, Thes. Zeyl. t. 7 (Alsine 

 erecta, &c.) ; Burman, Fl. Indica, t. 5, f. 1. 



ilbeokuta ; Nupe. Found also in Senegambia, Sierra Leone, 

 Congo, Angola, Zambesi and in Tropical Asia and Australia. 



In India the juice is applied to itch and other skin diseases ; 

 medicinally the plant is stomachic, aperient and antiseptic, ami 

 applied warm, moistened with castor oil, for ear-ache (Dymock. 

 Pharmacog. Indica, ii. p. 103). 



GlSEKlA, Linn. 



Gisekia pharnacioides, Linn. ; Fl. Trop. Afr. II. p. 593. 



111.— Lam. Encycl. t, 221 ; Roxb. PI. Corom. t, 183 ; Wight, [c. PI. 

 Ind. Or. iv. t. 1167. 



Sandy pot-herb. 



Katagum ; Nupe. Widely distributed in Africa and India. 



In India the leaves are used in the preparation of - dal," as a |»«»i- 

 herb in times of famine, or as a vegetable like the Mollugos \ various 



