800 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
A small, deciduous tree, with grey corky bark, {in. thick. 
Wood white, moderately hard, even-grained. Extremities tomen- 
tose. Leaves opposite, distichous, 3-G by l{-3in. elliptic, cau- 
date, acuminate, rarely obscurely serrulate, rather membranous, 
velvety-tomentose often on both surfaces, always beneath, nar- 
rowed into a petiole 5-fin. long, lateral nerves 10-16 pair. 
Flowers lin. across, in many-flo\vered corymbose ; terminal cymes ; 
bracts deciduous. Calyx short, with 5-10 scales inside at base ; 
lobes rounded, half the length of the Corolla-tube. Corolla pale, 
yellow with a fleshy orange-coloured corona of scales; lobes 
oblong, over-lapping to the left. Stamens inserted at top of 
Corolla-tube ; filaments short and broad, continued into a broad — 
tapering connective ; anthers sagittate, by the cells being spurred 
at base, adherent to stigma Ovary of 2 connate carpels. 
Style filiform, stigma ovoid. Fruit of 2 connate follicles, 8-12 
by {-fin., straight, cylindric, laterally, compressed, rough, with 
white specks, follicles separating before dehiscing. Seeds nunier- 
ous, {-fin., slender, each with a tuft of white silky hairs at lower 
end (Kanjilal). Flowers have an unpleasant smell, says Trimen, 
first yellowish, afterwards purple. 
Uses: — A thick, red-colored medicinal oil is said to be ob- 
tained from the seeds. In Cliutia Nagpur, a preparation from 
the bark is given in menstrual and renal complaints (Campbell). 
The bark and root-bark are believed to be useful in snake- 
bite and scorpion stings. 
762. Nerium odorum, Soland. h.f.b.i., iii. 655. 
Roxb. 242. 
Sans. : — Karavira. 
Vern . : — Difli (Arab.); Khar-zahrah (Pers.) ; Kaner, kanel, 
karber (Hind.); Kanira, kaner, ganhira (Pb.); Kanyur (Kumaun); 
Alari (Tam.) ; Ganneru (Tel.) ; Alai i (Mai.) ; Kanagale (Kan.); 
Karabi (Beng.) ; Kanhera (Bomb.). Haya-mara : — Killer of the 
horse (Marathi.) 
Habitat : — Western Himalaya, from Nepal to Murree, Cen- 
tral India and Sind. 
