670 
INDIAN MEDIOINAL PLANTS. 
6-12in., or even 2ft., erect, stiff, cylindric, striate, more or less 
pubescent, slightly branched. “ Sometimes decumbent at the 
base, grooved ” (Collet). Leaves alternate distant, the lower 
2in., but generally smaller upwards, nearly sessile, lanceolate, 
or ovate, broadly oval to linear-lanceolate, tapering to the base, 
subobtuse, apiculate, coarsely and shallowly crenate-serrate, more 
or less hairy on both sides, £-1 Jin. ; 'teeth few, coarse. Petiole 
J-fin. Heads numerous, Jin. diam., small, on long stalks, in 
lax divaricate terminal corymbs. Involucre-bracts linear, 
mucronate ; silky, outer ones smaller than the inner. Flowers 
20-25, bright, pinkish-violet ; pappus white ; outer row very 
short. Achenes not ribbed, hairy terete, j^in. A very vari- 
able plant. 
Uses: — Used in medicine by the Hindus in decoction, to 
promote perspiration in febrile affections (Ainslie). The ex- 
pressed juice of the plant is given in piles (B. D. B.). 
The seeds are employed in Patna as an alexipharmic and 
anthelmintic, and as a constituent of masdlas for horses (Irvine). 
In Chutia Nagpur, the whole plant is given as a remedy for 
spasm of the bladder and strangury ; the flowers are administer- 
ed for conjunctivitis (Campbell). The latter use is interesting, 
since, according to Piso, the leaves of another species of the 
same genus are similarly employed in Jamaica. (Watt.). In 
Chutia Nagpur, root is given for dropsy (J. J. Wood’s Plants of 
Chutia Nagpur, p. in.). 
627. V. anthelmintica, Willd., m. 236. 
Syn. : — Serratula anthelmintica, Roxb. 594. 
Sans.- — Somardja ; Avalguja; Vdkuchi. 
Vern. ■ — Kali-ziri ; Bukchi (H. and B.) ; Karalye (Mar.) ; 
Kittu shiragam, Neernoochie (Tam.) ; Neela-vayalie, Adavie- 
zula-kuru (Tel). 
Habitat Throughout India, from Kashmir to Ceylon. 
A tall, robust, leafy annual, branched, glandular-pubescent, 
stem 2-3ft., much branched striate, often blotched with purple. 
Leaves petioled, 3-8in., rather membranous, lanceolate or 
