900 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
Var. indica. h.f.b.i. iv. 238. 
Vern: — Phopetie ; Chirboti or Cliirbutti ; Kapparpbodi (M.). 
Habitat : — Throughout India, 
The leaves and fruiting calyx are glabrescent, and the latter 
is distinctly 5-angular. The corolla has no basal spots. 
/ 
Uses : — It is considered to be tonic, diuretic and purgative, 
and is an ingredient in a medicinal oil which is given for spleen, 
the other ingredients are Pokarmul. Hing, Hirda, Long pepper, 
Bidalawan (Black salt), Sendhav (Rock salt), Javakshara ash of 
potash), ginger, and melted butter. (Dymock). 
CAPSICUM, Linn. 
This genus contains the various forms of Chillies and Red and Yellow 
Peppers so widely cultivated in India and other tropical countries. It is 
indigenous in S. America and is believed to have been introduced into 
India about the middle of the seventeenh centurj . The very large number of 
cultivated forms, many of which were previously recognized as distinct 
species, have by recent authors been reduced to the two original Linnean 
species : C. annuum and C. frutescens, the one an annual and the other a 
perennial. Moreover, there is some probability .that these two may have 
originated from a single very variable S. American species ; for, as Prain 
remarlrs, the forms of C. annuum are often not' truly annual in the tropics, and 
in temperate regions the perennial tropical forms rarely persist for more 
than one season. — (Ruthie.). 
864. C. frutescens, Linn, h.f.b.i., iv. 239 Roxb. 
193. 
Eng. : — Spur Pepper, Cayenne Pepper. 
Vern.: — Lai or gach-m^rich, lal lanlca marieh, lanka (B.) ; 
Lai or gach-mirich, lal-mircha (H.) ; Kursani (Himalaya) ; lal- 
mirchi (Bbm.) ; Mirchi (Guz.) ; Tambhuda mirchingay, mirchi 
(Mar.) ; Mulla-gliai (Tam.) ; MirApa-kaia, golakonda, mirapah, 
sima, sudi-mirapa-kaia (Tel.) ; Ladu mira, chabai, kappal-melaka, 
chabe-lombok, ladamera, ladainera china (Mai.); Menashind. 
kayi (Kan.) 
Habitat : — Cultivated throughout India. 
A perennial herb, universally cultivated throughout India 
for its fruit, known as the Chilli. Leaves entire or repand ; 
