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INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
Malak&kani, Malkan kanino Velo ; (Marathi) Pengi, Malkangoni, 
KangoDi; (Hindi) Malkangni, Malkangi. 
(Sinhalese) Duhudu. 
A large, climbing shrub. Bark usually yellow, corky, some- 
times fibrous, spirally twisted and smooth. Wood porous, 
soft, very variable, according to locality and climate. 
Young shoots marked with, lenticels (Kanjilal). Leaves 
alternate, very variable in size and shape ; generally 2-4 by lg- 
3in., obovate, orbicular, elliptic or oblong lanceolate, short- 
acuminate, more or less coriaceous, glabrous ; base acute, lateral 
nerves 4-6 pair, parallel to margins. Petiole j-fin. long. 
Flowers gin., pale or yellowish green in terminal pedulous pyra- 
midal panicles, 2-4in. long. Pedicels slender, puberulous. 
Calyx-lobes shallow, unequal, rounded toothed. Petals oblong, 
broad-based, acute. Disk inconspicuous. Anthers large, about 
the size of the petals Ovary free, stigma simple. Capsule gin. 
broadly ovoid or roundish, blunt, transparently wrinkled, bright 
yellow ; valves septifragal above, leaving the seeds exposed. 
Seed sin., cinnamon-brown, striate, completely enveloped in 
scarlet fleshy aril. 
Tropical and sub-tropical Himalaya. Throughout India, 
Burma, Ceylon. 
Parts used — The seeds, leaves and oil. 
Use : — The seeds are thought by the natives to be hot and 
dry, aphrodisiac and stimulant, useful both as an external and 
internal remedy in rheumatism, gout, paralysis, leprosy, and 
other disorders which are supposed to be caused by cold 
humours. The crushed seeds, combined with aromatics, are said 
to be very eflicient in removing local pains of a rheumatic or 
malarious nature. 
In the Concan, 4 tolas of the leaf-juice are given as an 
antidote in overdoses of opium, and the seeds, made into a 
paste, with cow’s urine, are applied to cure scabies (Dymock), 
In Ajmere, the seeds are considered sudorific (Irvine). 
By a rude form of distillation, the Natives obtain from 
them a black empyreumatic oil, which, under the name of 
“ Oleum nigrum," was brought forward by the late Dr. Hprklots 
