186 
NOTES. 
particular specimen was purchased in the Kandy bazaar 
under the name cited. It is the fruit of Martynia diandra 
Glox. The same identification was made by Mr. J. P. Lewis 
in Jour. Asiatic Societ}^, 1884. Trimen gives for this plant 
only the Tamil name Nakatali (Nagatali). In India it is sold 
as an antidote to scorpion stings. 
In the Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, the name Nagadarana 
has for some years been applied to Bauhinia anguina Roxb. 
Clough (Sinhalese and English Dictionary) gives Nagadarana 
as “ The creeping or winding of a snake ; circular path of a 
snake ; medicinal root efficacious in the bite of snakes.” It 
would seem clear that the application of this name to Bauhinia 
anguina has been prompted by its peculiar twisted stem, and 
from this point of view the name is much more appropriate 
to the latter than to Martynia diandra. But Bauhinia 
anguina is practically confined to the Botanic Gardens ; it 
does not flower in Ceylon, and is most probably not native, 
but an early introduction. Under such circumstances, it is 
improbable that it should have a wide-spread native name, 
and hence we must regard Martynia diandra as the true 
Nagadarana. 
The first discovery of Bauhinia anguina in Ceylon, other 
than in the Botanic Gardens, was made by Trimen, who 
found it at the foot of Doluwekanda, in the Kurunegala 
District. On his communicating the discovery to W. 
Ferguson, the latter wrote as follows ; — “ When we lived at 
Peradeniya in 1854 I recollect some one, native, paying us a 
visit with a walking stick made of what he called Naga Tali, 
made of the flexuose stem of Bauhinia anguina, which was 
then in great force over the old gateway and pillars in the 
Gardens ; and I never saw or heard of it outside of these in 
Ceylon. But the plant is in such repute for frightening away 
snakes that bits of it may have been taken by the plumbago 
diggers to Doluwekanda, and that may account for the plants 
you got there.” 
It is interesting to note that the reputation of Bauhinia 
anguina as a charm against snakes has extended over more 
than sixty years, and that both the native names of Martynia 
diandra have been applied to this plant. — ^T. Petch, 
