N. O. CAPPAUIDE/E. 
99 
Aii annual herb, l-3ft., erect, sparingly branched, softly 
sessile, ovate, entire, terminal the largest, lateral, often unequal 
at base ; petioles £1 in., becoming shorter above and uppermost 
(bracts) often sessile ; flowers lemon-yellow, £ in. diam., on 
axillary pedicels .} in. long; sepals ovate, acute; petals twice 
the length of sepals, obtuse long-clawed, 2 approximate, 2 
divaricate; Stamens 12-24, anthers curled, blue-black; pod 
2-4 in. without a gynophore, erect, linear, cylindrical tipped by 
glabrous blunt style, very viscous ; seeds black, finely ridged 
on back. 
A common weed in cultivated ground. Throughout the 
tropical regions of the world. 
Parts used : — The seeds, leaves and roots. 
Uses : — The seeds used as anthelmintic and carminative by 
the Vytians (Ainslie) ; the juice of the leaves poured into the 
ear to relieve ear-ache, and the bruised leaves are applied to the 
skin as a counter-irritant. 
In Cochin China, the whole plant, bruised, is used for 
counter-irritation and blistering. (O’Shaughnessy). 
According to Moodeen Sheriff, the seeds are anthelmin- 
tic, rubefacient and vesicant. The seeds are valuable in expelling 
round worms, and also as a rubefacient and vesicant in all the 
complaints in which mustard is used. The leaves are also 
useful in the same way as a local stimulant, and th^ juice 
possesses a curative influence over some cases of otalgia and 
otorrhcea. The seeds are, used internally in powder with 
sugar, aud externally in the form of a poultice or paste by 
bruising with vinegar, lime-juice or hot-water, and their juice 
for the use of the ear is pressed out by bruising them without 
water. As a rubefacient and vesicant, the seeds under examina- 
tion are much superior to the mustard seeds in this country, 
and quite equal to the mustard imported from Europe.” 
Used by the aboriginals of Australia to relieve headache. 
In the 'United States, the roots are said to be used as a vermifuge. 
Ph. J. Sep. i. 1888, p. 179. 
The seeds are given occasionally in fevers and diarrhoea 
(Lindley). 
