N. 0. ACANTHAUKjE. 
981 
broadly bordered, with white scarious margins. Brafctiets linear- 
lanceolate, acute. Capsule jin., oblong-ovoid, pubescent. Seeds 
with concentric furrows. Anther-cells superposed, lower white 
tailed. Corolla white, with rose or purple spots (C. B. Clarke). 
Ovary glabrous; style thinly hairy at base. 
Flowers, says Trimen from Ceylon, “ violet, with red dots, 
thin dots in the throat.” 
Uses : — The leaves resemble, both in smell and taste, those of 
thyme ; while fresh, they are bruised, mixed with castor oil, and 
applied to the scalp in cases of tinea capitis (Ainslie). 
The whole plant, dried and pulverised, is given in doses of 
from 4 to 12 drams in fevers and coughs, and is also considered 
a vermifuge (Drury). v 
940 . R. parviflora, Nees., h.f.b.i., iv. 550 . 
Syn : — Justicia pectiuata, Linn. Roxb. 44. 
Sans. : — Pindi. 
Vern. : — Tavashu murunghie ; punakapundu (Tam.); Pindi 
kunda ( Tel.); Bir lopong aralc (Santa!.). 
Habitat : — Throughout India. 
Annual ; erect stems, slender, with opposite lines of pubescent, 
divaricately branched ; upper leaves 2j-4in., linear, much taper- 
ing to base, obtuse, slightly undulate, glabrous, lanceolate, petiole 
obscure, lower leaves oval or rotundate, distinctly petioled. 
Spikes very short, about jin. flat, ranks of empty bracts irv one 
plane, jin., linear oblong, mucronate, with a very narrow 
margin, glabrous, slightly ciliate, floral bracts about jin., oval, 
obtuse, slightly mucronate, with the scarious margin wider, 
glabrous, ciliate ; bractlets narrower than the bracts. Sepals 
linear lanceolate. Corolla jin., small (Trimen). Flowers white, 
with blue lines on lower lip. “ Capsule Jin., seeds small, 
minutely verrucose ; spikes nearly all terminal, markedly one- 
sided ” (C. B. Clarke). 
Uses : — The juice of the small and somewhat fleshy leaves 
is considered cooling and aperient and is prescribed for 
children suffering from small-pox in dose of a tablespoonful 
or two twice daily. The bruised leaves are applied to contu 
sious to relieve pain and diminish swelling (Ainslie). 
