578 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
petiole about 2in., stout, curved with 2 short, setaceous stipules 
at base. Flowers rather large on short articulated pedicels in 
two opposite cymes of three, on a long axillary peduncle which 
is continued beyond them as a long simple tendril. Calyx 
sin., truncate at fleshy base, broadly and squarely campanulate, 
glabrous, segments triangular, acute, slightly spreading ; petals 
small, distant, linear, inserted at base of Calyx-tube, rather 
larger in male flower, more or less hairy ; disk wide, with 5 
circular pits opposite segments with white cilia (Corona) on 
their outerside, and a short blunt, erect process within each. 
Male flowers : — stamens distinct, filaments very short, anthers 
linear, ovary rudimentary. Female flowers staminodes 5, 
erect, immediately surrounding ovary, small, acute. Ovary 
shortly stalked, globose, smooth, tapering into 3 long styles ; 
stigmas much divided ; feathery. Fruit nearly 2in. on a stout 
stalk, globose, apiculate, smooth, orange, splitting into 3 fleshy 
valves. Seeds on long stalks, nearly ^in., mariculate and pitted, 
black, each enclosed in large pulpy aril. 
Flowers greenish-white, tinged with pink. 
Use : — The root is said to be poisonous, and is used by the 
Cinghalese as a medicine (Thwaites). 
N. 0. CUCURBIT AC EJE. 
524. Trichosanthes palmata, Roxb., h.f.b.i., 
ii. 606 ; Roxb. 695. 
Sans. : — Mahakala. 
Vern. : — Lal-indrayan (H.) ; Makal (B.) ; Kaundal (Bomb.) ; 
Koratti, Shavari-pazham (Tam.) ; Avvaguda-pandu (Tel.) ; 
Avagude-hannu (Kan.). 
Habitat Throughout the Eastern Tropics, from the Hima- 
laya to Ceylon and Singapore. 
Perennial herbs; stems long, woody below, wide climbing, 
often 30ft., angular or irregularly rounded, slightly scabrous, 
sometimes twisting spirally to a marked degree. Dioecious. 
