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The  Materia  Me  die  a  of  Ceylon. 
(Am.  Jour.  Pharrr. 
I  November,  1894. 
punctures.  Should  this  prove  to  be  so,  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  the 
opinions  of  Cornil  and  Berlioz,  who  declare  that  the  "bacteria  of  jequirity  are 
its  only  active  principles, "  are  not  wholly  contradicted.  Abrus  precatorius  is 
a  copiously  branched  climber,  with  slender  branches.  Leaflets  are  small  and 
possess  a  sweet  licorice-like  taste.  Racemes  many  flowered,  corolla  reddish  or 
white.  Pod  one  to  one  and  one-half  inches  long.  Seeds  bright  scarlet  to 
black,  or  black,  or  whitish,  or  mixed  black  and  white.  In  Ceylon  the  juice 
of  the  green  leaves  is  used  for  purification  of  the  blood,  especially  in  females. 
The  root  for  sore  throat,  leprosy,  stiffness  in  joints,  paralysis  and  nervous 
diseases.  Externally  it  is  applied  to  ulcers  and  sores. 
Acacia  intsia  (see  Mimosa  intsia). 
Adenanthera  pavonina,  Linne  (Madatiya).  N.  O.  Leguminosae.  An  erect 
tree  without  spines  or  tendrils  ;  leaves  ample,  bipinnate,  pinnae  short  stalked  ; 
flowers  minute  in  narrow  spike-like  racemes  ;  pod  strap-shaped,  six  to  nine 
inches  long,  falcate,  ten  to  twelve  seeded  ;  seeds  bright  colored.  The  leaves  and 
the  bark  in  combination  with  other  medicines  are  used  to  reduce  the  swellings 
of  sprains  and  bruises.  In  case  of  snake-bite  by  the  polonga,  if  the  wounded 
part  is  stroked  with  a  bundle  of  leaves  several  hundred  times,  it  is  believed 
that  the  poison  will  be  expelled. 
Adhatoda  vasica,  Nees  (Adhatoda).  N.  O.  Acanthaceae.  A  dense  shrub, 
sometimes  arborescent ;  leaves  elliptical,  acute  at  both  ends,  entire,  minutely 
pubescent ;  spike  dense,  short,  corolla  white  ;  capsule,  clavate,  pubescent,  four 
seeded  ;  seeds,  glabrous  tubercular- verrucose.  It  is  frequently  cultivated.  The 
root,  leaves,  flowers  and  bark  are  used  in  diseases  caused  by  excessive  phlegm, 
also  in  menorrhagia  and  in  rheumatism. 
JEgle  marmelos,  Correa  (Belij.  N.  O.  Rutaceae.  The  "Bael"  is  a  small 
deciduous  tree  with  straight,  strong  axiliary  spines  one  inch  long.  Leaflets 
three  to  five,  ovate  lanceolate,  lateral  sessile,  terminal  long-petioled.  Flowers, 
greenish-white,  sweet  scented.  Fruit  two  to  five  inches  in  diameter,  globose, 
oblong  or  pyriform,  rind  gray  or  yellow,  pulp  sweet,  thick  orange-colored. 
The  root,  bark  and  leaves  are  employed  for  flatulency  and  in  low  fevers 
attended  with  biliousness  and  diarrhoea.  The  unripe  fruit  boiled  and  then 
baked  under  hot  ashes  checks  diarrhoea  and  dysentery.  The  ripe  fruit  is  cool- 
ing and  laxative,  and  a  good  remedy  for  piles.  A  sweet  scented  extract  from 
the  flowers  is  used  as  a  lotion  for  the  eyes. 
JErura  lanata  (Polkudupala).  N.  O.  Amarantaceae.  Much  employed  for 
coughs  ;  as  a  vermifuge  for  children  and  in  indigestion. 
Aliesomeles  ovata  (Yokwansa).— The  leaves,  bark  and  root  are  used  in  colic, 
catarrhal  fever,  cough  and  similar  diseases. 
Alysicarpus  bupleurifolius  D.  C.  (Aswenna).  N.  O.  Leguminosae.  An 
annual  or  biennial;  stems  1-2  feet  ascending,  glabrous;  leaflets  linear  or  lanceo- 
late, 1-3  inches  long,  rounded  at  the  base  ;  flowers  in  racemes,  calyx  much 
longer  than  the  first  joint  of  the  pod,  its  teeth  imbricated  in  the  fruiting  stage. 
It  is  a  mild  astringent.  The  root  is  used  in  admixture  with  other  medicines  in 
mild  fevers.    The  leaves  are  locally  applied  to  wounds  and  bruises. 
Atalantia  ceylonica,  Oliv.  (Yakmaran).  N.  O.  Rutaceae.  A  bush  or  small 
tree,  unarmed  or  armed  with  very  straight  spines  %-i  inch  long.  Leaflets 
variable;  flowers  very  shortly  racemed.    It  is  common  in  the  warmer  parts  of 
