8 . O. DIOSOOREAOEiE. 
1283 
Root-stock short, with many long cylindric tortuous roots 
as thick as a swan’s quill ; stem slender, unarmed, not tuberife- 
rous, terete, pubescent or tomentose ; leaves opposite rarely 
alternate 3-5 by l-3in., polymorphous, from lanceolate to oblong- 
oval or orbicular, obtusely acuminate or rounded at both ends, 
coriaceous, 3-5-veined, margins cartilaginous, sparsely hairy on 
both surfaces, petiole J-^in. ; male spikes i-f in., alternate or 
whorled on a long filiform tomentose pendulous rhachis 4-10 in. 
long ; flowers pale-greenish, crowded, sessile by a broad base, 
nearly glabrous, about jo to rain, broad ; bract small, ovate, 
acuminate, membranous; outer perianth-segment broadly ovate 
or orbicular, concave, inner smaller, obovate ; stamens 6, filament 
short, anther didymous; pistillode obscure ; flower female distant 
on axillary, pendulous, tomentose spikes 6-Sin. long, bracts 
minute ; perianth-segments orbicular, glabrous or pubescent ; 
staminodes 6, minute ; stigmas linear, 2-fid ; fruit orbicular or 
broader than long, l^-2|in. diam., glabrous, top retuse or 
almost 2-lobed, base cuneate, carpels *-ciraular ; seeds orbicular, 
f-lj in. diam., wing very broad all round. (Trimen). 
Uses : — The root, ground and heated, is applied to reduce 
swellings ; it is also used in snake-bite and scorpion sting. 
1268 . D. sativa, Linn., h.f.b.i., vi., 295 . 
Vern. : — Ratalu (H.) ; Ato sang (Santali) ; Chind, gol'dikauu- 
phal (Bomb.) ; Gorkand, gorddu (Mar.) ; Zamskollung (Guz.); 
Heggenasu (Kan.). 
Habitat : — Cultivated over the greater part of India. 
An extensively climbing herb. Root-tubers very large, 
globose or elongate ; stem terete, unarmed, glabrous, tuberi- 
ferous in the leaf-axils. Leaves opposite and alternate, 
3-14iu. long and broad, broadly ovate, cordate, sometimes 
broader than long, acuminate, cuspidate or caudate, 7-0- 
veined, glabrous, membranous ; basal sinus broad, deep or 
shallow; petiole 2-6in. Male-spikes 1 - J in., filiform, crowded ox- 
scattered on the branches of crowded axillary, slender, 
pendulous, glabrous spikes or panicles up to 12in. long, green 
or purplish. Flowers yellowish-white, solitary, sessile by a 
