536  The  Materia  Medica  of  Ceylon.  {^embef.^T' 
from  the  young  branches.  The  bark  is  described,  with  analysis  made  therefrom, 
in  the  Pharmacographia  and  the  National  Dispensatory.  All  parts  of  the  plant 
are  full  of  an  acrid  milk  which  possesses  powerful  medicinal  properties.  The 
green  leaves  are  locally  applied  to  dispel  swellings.  The  root  is  a  useful  tonic, 
good  in  coughs  and  catarrhs.  The  milk  of  the  plant  is  internally  used  as  a 
cure  for  leprosy. 
Cardiospermum  halicacabum,  Linne.  (Penela-we)  N.  O.  Sapindaceae. — A 
climbing  herb,  branches  slender,  furrowed  ;  leaves,  deltoid  or  ovate,  leaflets 
deeply  cut ;  flowers,  white  and  small  ;  seeds  officinal.  The  whole  plant  is  used 
in  cases  of  rheumatism,  nervous  diseases,  orchitis  and  dropsy.  It  is  used  also 
as  a  hair-wash  to  remove  scurf,    The  root  is  considered  aperient. 
Cassia  alata,  Linne.  (Rata-tora)  N.  O.  Leguminosae.  —A  shrub  with  very  thick 
but  finely  downy  branches;  leaves,  subsessile,  1-2  feet  long ;  leaflets  oblong 
16-28,  rigidly  subcoriaceous,  rhachis  narrowly  winged  on  each  side  of  the  face  ; 
racemes,  narrow,  corolla,  yellow  distinctly  veined  ;  pod  long,  ligulate  with 
a  broad  wing  down  the  middle  of  each  valve.  The  wood  is  used  as  an  altera- 
tive. 
Cassia  auriculata  (Ranawara)  N.  O.  Leguminosae. — A  tall  shrub  with  the 
virgate  branches  and  underside  of  the  leaves  possessed  of  a  fine  gray  down. 
Leaves  nearly  sessile,  3-4  inches  long ;  leaflets  obovate-oblong,  rigidly  sub- 
coriaceous,  3^-1  inch  long,  obtuse  or  emarginate  ;  furnished  with  glands  on 
the  main  rhachis  between  the  leaflets  ;  stipules  large  and  foliaceous.  Flowers 
very  large  and  showy,  bright  yellow  in  copious  corymbose  racemes.  It  is 
doubtful  if  the  seeds  are  still  used  in  the  treatment  of  ophthalmia.  The  bark 
and  roots  are  used  as  an  alterative.  The  dried  leaves  in  the  form  of  a  tea  are 
likewise  employed  for  the  same  purpose. 
Cassia  fistula,  Linne.  (Ehela).  N.  O.  Leguminosae. — A  middle-sized  tree, 
glabrous  in  all  its  parts.  Leaves  a  foot  or  more  long,  leaflets  8-16,  2-6  inches 
long,  ovate,  distinctly  stalked,  usually  acute,  rigidly  subcoriaceous,  pale  green, 
strongly  veined.  Racemes  as  long  as  the  leaves.  Pod  well  known  in  medi- 
cines. The  tender  leaves  are  employed  in  rheumatic  fever  as  a  mild  purgative, 
and  the  bark  in  combination  with  other  ingredients  is  used  in  rheumatism. 
Cellis  cinnamomea,  Lindl.  (Gurenda).  N.  O.  Urticaceae. — A  tree  with  ever- 
green coriaceous  leaves,  obliquely  ovate,,  acuminate,  crenate-serrate,  3  nerved 
to  below  the  tip,  cymes  short,  flowers  on  short  pedicels,  drupes  racemed,  nar- 
rowed to  the  tip.  The  wood,  which  has  a  disgusting  odor,  is  used  in  fumiga- 
tion at  child-birth.  Internally  it  is  taken  in  combination  with  other  medicines 
in  cases  of  cutaneous  diseases. 
Cissampelos pareira,  Linne.  (Diyamitta).  N.  O.  Menispermaceae. — A  climbing 
shrub,  with  orbicular,  reniform,  or  cordate  leaves.  It  grows  in  tropical  and 
sub-tropical  India  from  Sindh  and  the  Punjab  to  Ceylon  and  Singapore.  The 
whole  plant  is  said  to  cure  ulcers.  The  roots  are  employed  in  fever  and 
diarrhoea. 
Coscinium  fenestratum,  Colebrooke  (Weni-wel)  N.  O.  Menispermaceae. — A 
climbing  shrub,  young  shoots,  hoary-tomentose  ;  leaves  oblong,  deltoid,  glab- 
rous above,  hoary  and  reticulate  beneath.  Flowers  green,  heads  umbelled. 
The  woody  stem  is  considered  to  be  an  excellent  stomachic,  and  is  a  popular 
remedy  in  fevers.    It  also  promotes  appetite  and  is  used  in  bloodshot  eyes. 
Craiceva  Roxhurghii>  now  C.  religiosa.  var.  Roxburghii.  (Lunuwarana). 
