N. 0. VERBBGNACE/E. 
1009 
Habitat : — From Sikkim and Assam to Teriasserim frequent, 
Mts. of S. Deccan Peninsula ; Kumaon, wild. 
A glabrous sli rub 4-8ft., branches virgate. Stems herbaceous, 
fluted, hollow. Leaves in whorls of 3-5, 6-9 by 1-lfin., narrow 
lanceolate, subentire glabrous, rather hard, base tapering. 
Petiole 0-fin. Flowers white, fading into yellow, in rigid 
terminal panicles, 9-18in. long. Pedicels J-lfin. Calyx Jin. 
long, divided § way down dark red and enlarged in fruit. 
Segments oblong, acute. Corolla-tube 3-4 by join., drooping ; 
lobes 5 -fin., oblong-ovate. Corolla glabrous, white. Drupe 
ovoid, dark-blue, about Jin. long, supported by the spreading 
red Calyx 
Uses : — “ The root considered useful in asthma, cough and 
scrofulous affections ” (Dutt). The wood is slightly bitter and 
astringent and the resin employed in syphilitic rheumatism 
(Baden-Powell). The expressed juice of the leaves and tender 
branches is used with ghi, as an application in herpetic eruptions 
and pemphigus. The blanches cut into small pieces and threaded 
like heads, are put on the necks of children suffering from these 
diseases as a charm, and it is believed by the natives that the 
smell of this plant is sufficient to cure these diseases (Dr. 
Thornton, in Watt’s Dictionary). 
967 . Avicennia officinalis, Linn., h . f . h . i , iv . 
604 . 
Sijn. : — A. tomentosa, Facy. Roxb. 487. 
V cm. : — Bina (B. and IT.) ; Timmer, cheria (Sind) ; 'J'ivar 
(M.) ; Nalla-mada, Mada-chettu (Tel.) ; Upputti (Mai.) 
Habitat : — Common in the mangrove swamps of the Deccan 
Peninsula. Also in the swamps near Bombay and Kurla. 
(K.R.K.) 
A large evergreen shrub or tree attaining 20ft., and a great 
girth, found in salt marshes, coast and tidal forests of India, 
Ceylon, Burma, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Sundar- 
bans, often gregarious. “ This tree, like other mangroves,” 
says Gamble, “ has the property of sending out very numerous 
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