108 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
£- T 3 0 in. ; petiole about § in. long, stout. Flowers large, 3 in. 
across, solitary or in terminal bracteate, short racemes ; bracts 
linear, red-tomentose, pedicels in. long. Petals pale blue or 
white, the lower two each with a yellow spot at the base. Fila- 
ments as long as the petals. Gynophore 1-lj in. long ; ovary 
tomentose. Fruit ovoid, beaked, size of a large olive. 
Uses: — The leaves are used for rheumatic pains in the 
joints, and its flowers as a laxative drink. (Voigt. 74) 
95. G. aphylla, Roth, h.f.b.i., i. 174. 
Sans. : — Karira. 
Veni. : — Karil, Karer Kurrel, lete, Karu (H.) ; Kari (Behar, 
Bom.); Kirra Kerin, Karil, Karia, Karis, teuti, delha pinju 
(Pb.), Kiral, Kirrur, dora Kiram, Kiram, Kirad (Sind.) ; Ker 
(Guz.) ; Kera, Karil (Mar.); Kuryal (Deck). 
Habitat: — In the arid desert tractsof the Punjab, Rajputana, 
Guzerat, the Deccan and S. Carnatic. 
Shrubs dense, much-branched, glabrous, with thorns in 
pairs, straight ; leaves (only on young shoots) glabrous, linear, 
pungent, buds pubescent. Branches slender, glabrous. Flowers 
1 in. diam., red-brown, in many-flowered corymbs, on short 
shoots. Outer sepals subvalvate, ciliate, inner saccate. Stamens 
18-20. Fruit £ 3 in., glabrous, long beaked. 
Parts used : — The shoots, fruit and bark. 
Uses: — The bark is described by the Hindoo writers as 
bitter and laxative, and is said to be useful in inflammatory 
swellings (U. C. Dutt.) The fruit is eaten pickled in Bombay by 
Hindus, Bhatias especially. 
In the Punjab, the top shoots and young leaves are made 
into a powder and used as a blister (Stewart) ; it is also used 
in boils, eruptions and swellings, and as an antidote to poison ; 
also in affections of the joints (B. Powell). 
According to Surg.-Major Calthrop, the fruit when eaten 
causes obstinate constipation. It is used largely in the Harriana 
aod Karnal Districts as an astringent. 
The top shoots and young leaves are very efficacious in 
relieving toothache when chewed. (Murray, Plants and Drugs 
