1202 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
Habitat : — Extensively cultivated in India daring the latter 
part of the lains. 
Root biennial, or more, consisting of a fascicle of several 
ovate, oblong bulbs, generally (as found in the markets) about 
as large as the first joint of the middle finger. Leaves some- 
what bifarious, fistulous, more than semi-cylindrical, tapering, 
pointed, compressed toward the apex, smooth and shorter than 
the scapes. Scapes rising from the centre of the short stem 
formed by the united sheathes of the leaves, naked, round, 
smooth, slightly swelled towards the base and from thence ta- 
pering to the umbel, from one to two feet long. Sheaths shorter 
than the umbel, irregularly bursting into two or three sub-ovate 
segments. Umbels globular, as much as two-hundred-flowered. 
Flowers like those of the common onion (Allium cepa). Petals 
equal, expanding, shorter than the stamens, white, with a green 
keel. Filaments erect, alternately dilated at the base. Anthers 
ovate, green. (Roxburgh.) 
Uses : — It is used to cure earache, a small piece being placed 
in the meatus. It is also fried in butter and preserved in 
honey as an aphrodisiac. (Pharmacogra. Ind., Vol., 111. p. 492). 
1281. A. f'epa, Linn., h.f.b.i., vr., 337 ; Roxb. 
287. 
Sans. : — Palandu. 
Vern. : — Piyaz (H. B. and Pb.) ; Dimgari (Guz. and Sind.) , 
Kanda (Mar.) ; Vella-Vengazam, irulli, ira-vengay-am (Tam.) ; 
Vulli-gaddalu, niruli (Tel.) ; Vengazam, nirulli, kumbali (Kan.) : 
Bawang (Mai.). 
Habitat : — Cultivated all over India. 
Leaves fistular, sub-distichous, shorter than the inflated 
scape. Heads dense with flowers and bulbils. Pedicels 
shorter than the stellate flowers ; sepals linear-oblong ; 
filaments exserted, simple, or the inner 2-toothed at base. 
Uses : — The bulbs contain an acrid, volatile oil, which acts as 
a stimulant, diuretic, and expectorant. Onions are occasionally 
used in fever, dropsy and catarrh, and chronic bronchitis ; in colic 
