618 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
N. 0. UMBELLIFERiE. 
566. Hydrocotyle asiatica, Linn, h.f.b.i., ii. 669 ; 
Roxb. 270. 
Sans. : — Manduka parni. 
Vern. : --Brahma manduki, Khula khudi (H.); Tbulkuri 
(B.) ; Vallarei (Tain.) ; Manduka-brummi, Babassa (Tel.) ; 
Codagam (Mai.), Bralimi ; Karinga (Bomb:); Vallarai (Dec.); 
Von-deloga (Kan.); Kutakan, Kodagam (Malay.). 
Eng. : — Asiatic Pennywort. 
Ralntat : — Throughout India. Ceylon, waste grassy, places 
a very common weed, from sea-level to the highest elevations. 
Prostrate, perennial herbs. Stems, long, prostrate, given off 
from leaf-axils of a short vertical rootstock, cord like, glabrous, 
with very long internodes. Leaves |-2£in. long, several — from 
the rootstock, 1-2 irom each node of the runners, petiole 3-6in., 
VV -V™ i , .5' \ , . . 
erect glabrous, htrrmved above ; stipules short, adnate to petiole, 
but forming a sheathing base. Blade orbicular, reniform, entire, 
crenate or lobulate, horizontal, more or less cupped. l|-2in. 
The rounded basal-lobes often overlapping, glabrous and shining 
on both sides. Flowers nearly sessile, usually 3 together, at 
end of short erect pubescent peduncles, 1-3 from the nodes, 
opposites the leaves ; bracts 2, close beneath umbel, ovate, 
obtuse; Calyx-segments 0 ; Petals minute, ovate acute (Trimen); 
obtuse umbricate (C. B. Clarke). Ovary very much compressed, 
slightly hairy, styles very short, erect. Fruit about |on., ovoid, 
hard ; pericarp thickened, mericarps with the primary and 
secondary ribs, very obscure or vein like. Flowers dark-pink 
(Trimen). 
Use : — In Sanskrit works, it is described as a useful altera- 
tive and tonic in diseases of the skin, nervous system and 
blood (Dutt). 
Ainslie says that an infusion of the leaves with Fenugreek 
is given to children in bowel complaints and fever. On the 
Coromandel Coast, the leaves are applied to the parts that have 
suffered from blows and bruises, 
Tr*? f 
