N. 0. NYCTAQINE/E. 
1055 
1030. Pisonia aculeatci, Linn, ii.f.b.i., iv. 711. 
Roxb. 312. 
Vern. : — Baghachura (Beng.) ; Ilati-ankusa (Uriya) ; Karu- 
indu (Tam.) ; Ivunki-pootri, embudi chettu, konki (Tel.). 
Habitat : — South Concan, and elsewhere in the Deccan 
Peninsula. 
A large, woody, thorny, straggling or climbing shrub, often 
forming impenetrable thickets. “ Young shoots and inflorescence 
pubescent armed with sharp axillary, more or less curved 
thorns” (Brandis). Bark light-brown, thin. Wood light brown, 
soft, of peculiar structure (Gamble). Trunk very short. Bran- 
ches subopposite, horizontal. Leaves 2-3 in., elliptic obtuse, 
entire, base cuneate, glabrous. Blade 2-3in. ; petiole l-^in. 
long. Flowers greenish white in compact, sometimes paniculate, 
axillary cymes. Male flower campanulate, pedicelled, 5-toothed. 
Stamens 7-8. Female flower ovoid, obscurely toothed. Stigma 
lacerate. Fruit long-pedicelled, i-|in., narrowly oblong or 
clavate, 5-ribbed, ribs muricate, with several rows of glands 
(J. D. Hooker). The gland protuberances are viscid, says 
Brandis. 
Uses : — The bark and the leaves are used as a countei- 
irritant for swellings and rheumatic pains (T. N. Mukherji). 
The juice mixed with pepper and other ingredients is given to 
children suffering from pulmonary complaints (Watt’s Diet.). 
1031. P. alba, Spanoghe. h.f.b.i., iv. 711. 
Vern. : — Chinai SAlit (Bomb.) 
Habitat : — Cultivated in India. 
An evergreen unarmed tree of middle size, 30-40ft , glabrous, 
except the -youngest shoots and inflorescence. Leaves large, pale 
green or bright greenish yellow, those of the ends of the branches 
often nearly white, somewhat resembling the lettuce in taste, 
but is an “ indifferent substitute’ (Gamble). Eaten in Ceylon 
by the Singhalese (Trimen) and by the European-Jews of Bom- 
bay (K. R. K.). The male tree has much darker leaves and 
not much brown as the lighter leaved are in gardens in coast 
towns in India, as in Calcutta, Madras, Colombo and Bombay. 
