N. 0. COCDRBITACE.®. 
609 
one or two loose motions. It is also considered anthelmintic. 
For external use in chronic rheumatism, it is made into a lini- 
ment with cumin seed, onion and castor oil. In the Deccan 
and in Mysore, the root has a repute as a remedy for snake- 
bite; it is administered internally, and applied to the bitten 
part (Dymock and Pb. Ind.). 
555. Zanonia indica, Linn, h.f.b.i., n. 633. 
Sans. : — Chirpota ; Dirghapatra ; Kuntali ; Tiktaka. 
Vern. : — Chirpoti (H.) ; Penar-valli (Mai.) ; Chiraputi (Mar.); 
Penar-Valli (Mai.) 
Habitat: — Assam and East Bengal; Deccan Peninsula; 
and Malabar Mountains. 
Perennial, climbing herbs. Tendrils simple. Stems stout, 
cylindrical, semi-woody, grey, glabrous. Leaves large, 3-6in., 
deciduous, leaving a very prominent circular scar, broadly 
oval to lanceolate, rounded or cordate at base, somewhat acumi- 
nate, apiculate, quite entire, glabrous, rather thick ; reticulate 
venation, rather conspicuous beneath. Flowers greenish-yellow, 
rather small (female much the larger), on short pedicels. 
Male panicles 6-12in. long, branched chiefly at base, with 
flowers in small clusters. Female recames longer, with flowers 
solitary, distant. Calyx-segments rotundate, concave, glabrous ; 
petals ovate acuminate obtuse, with incurved points. Male 
flowers : — filament short, broad, spreading. Female flower : — 
ovary fin., glabrous ; styles rather long ; capsule 1-lfin. or 
more, cylindrical, rounded at base, truncate, at apex, glabrous, 
pale yellowish-brown. Seed with wind as long as the fruit, 
very flat, glabrous, yellow, wing ronnded at the ends (Trimen). 
Uses : — The leaves, beaten up with milk and butter, are ap- 
plied as a liniment in antispasmodic affections (Rheede). 
The fruits are said to possess very acrid cathartic properties, 
Hakims assert that the fresh juice is very efficacious as an 
antidote to the venomous bites of the gecko (S. Arjun). 
The Sinhalese value the plant as a febrifuge (Thwaites). 
In Malabar, a bath made by boiling the leaves in water is 
used to remove the nervous irritation caused by boils ( Dy- 
mock). 
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