^oViZeSr-}      The  Materia  Medica  of  Ceylon,  539 
is  a  reputed  cure  for  offensive  breath.  H.  asiatica,  it  will  be  remembered,  was 
the  plant  that  was  incorrectly  reported  about  forty  years  ago  as  being  effica- 
cious in  leprosy. 
Ipomcea  beladambae  Roem.  and  Sch.  (Bimtamburu).  N.  O.  Convolvulaceae. 
An  extensively  trailing  plant  of  Ceylon,  abundant  in  damp  fields.  An  oil 
obtained  from  this  species  is  said  to  check  giddiness  and  to  keep  the  head  cool. 
Ixora  coccinea,  Iyinne.  (Ratambala)  N.  O.  Rubiaceas.  A  branching  shrub  ; 
leaves  coriaceous,  pale  when  dry,  stipules  with  rigid  cusps.  Cymes  rarely 
short  peduncled  ;  ramifications  very  short,  articulate  ;  bracts  and  bracteoles 
imbricate  ;  flowers  scarlet,  sessile  or  very  shortly  petioled.  Filaments  long 
and  anthers  short  for  the  genus.  Stigma  with  short,  revolute  arms.  "It  is 
common  in  Ceylon,  ascending  to  2,000  feet  "  (Thwaites).  The  flowers  and  the 
bark  are  used  for  bloodshot  eyes  and  the  leaves  for  sores  and  ulcers.  A  tinc- 
ture of  the  root  of  this  plant,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  compared  with  ipecac 
as  an  antidysenteric. 
Kagia  montana  (Welkahambiliya).  This  plant  is  employed  in  cases  of  mild 
fever  in  children  caused  by  bowel  complaints. 
Leucas  zeylanica  Br.  (Getakumba  N.  O.  Labiatae.  An  erect  annual,  hispidly 
hairy  or  pubescent ;  leaves  2-3  inches  long,  shortly  petioled,  linear  or  elliptic 
or  lanceolate,  obtuse,  subserrate  whorls  subterminal,  many  flowered.  Common 
in  Ceylon.  Used  in  dog  bite  and  in  mild  fever  caused  by  indigestion  ;  also  to 
relieve  pain  caused  by  intestinal  worms. 
Melia  azadirachta  (see  Azadirachta  indices. 
Mimosa  intsia.  Ivinne.  (now  Acacia  intsia  Willd). 
(Eliddikumba.)  N.  O.  Leguminosae.  A  tree  with  minute  hooked  prickles, 
bractlets  and  leaf  rhachises  finely,  downy  or  glabrous,  the  latter  with  a  gland 
at  the  base  between  the  2-3  upper  pinnae  ;  leaflets  minutely  cuspidate  ;  ped- 
uncles finely  downy,  heads  yellow  ;  pod  4-6  inches  long,  straight,  strap-shaped, 
glabrous,  dehiscent.  It  is  employed  for  cobra  bite.  A  curious  property  that  it 
is  said  to  possess,  is  that  if  the  plant  be  chewed  when  anything  falls  into  the 
eye,  it  is  believed  that  the  foreign  body  will  be  removed. 
Oroxylum  indicum,  Vent.  (Totila)  N.  O.  Bignoniaceae — A  glabrous  tree  with 
a  thick  bark  ;  leaves  opposite,  large  two  or  three  times  pinnate  ;  leaflets  ovate, 
entire,  peduncle  very  thick  ;  raceme  ten  inches  ;  capsule  1-3  feet  by  2-3  X 
inches  thick,  margins  somewhat  incurved,  valves  woody.  The  bark  is  employed 
as  a  bitter  tonic.  It  reduces  rheumatic  swellings,  dispels  phlegm,  and  checks 
diarrhoea,  dysentery  and  fever. 
Tinospora  cordifolia  Miers  (Rasa-kinda)  N.  O.  Menispermaceae — A  climbing 
shrub,  bark  corky,  shoots  glabrous  ;  leaves  cordate,  glabrous;  racemes  exceed- 
ing the  leaves;  drupes  size  of  cherry  and  red,  The  stem  is  employed  in  fever, 
skin  diseases,  jaundice,  rheumatism  and  sympathetic  affections,  and  is  consid- 
ered to  be  a  valuable  tonic. 
Wedelia  calandulacea  (see  under  Eclipta  erecta.) 
