Indian Medicinal Plants/Natural Order Myricaceæ

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Syn : — Myrica sapida, Wall. M. integrifolia, Roxb. 765.

Sans. : — Katphala, kaidaryama.

Vern. :— Kaiphal (B., H., Sind. Pb. and M.); Ding solir (Khasia) ; Kobusi (Nep.) ; Kari-phal (Guz.) ; Maru dampattai (Tam.) ; Kaidaryamu (Tel.).

Habitat : — Sub-tropical Himalaya, from the Ravi eastwards. The Khasia Mts., Sylhet and southwards to Singapore.

A small, aromatic, nearly glabrous, evergreen tree. Leaves crowded towards ends of branches, lanceolate, 3-5in., acute or obtuse, entire, the lower pale or rust-coloured, minutely gland- dotted, aromatic. Stalks short, pubescent ; the leaves of the young shoots sometimes 5-8in., and toothed. Bark grey, a brownish-grey, roughly with deep vertical wrinkles. Wood purplish-grey, hard, close-grained, apt to warp. Flowers minute, uni-sexual, glandular, the male and female on different trees. Male flowers in catkins, ¼-lin., long, solitary in the leaf axils or sessile on common, drooping, axillary stalk, l-3in. long ; bracts orbicular, often with 2-3 smaller ones. Perianth none. Stamens 3-6, filaments free except at the bases. Female flowers in axillary, erect spikes, ½-lin. long ; bracts 2-4; perianth none ; ovary 1-celled ; style-arms 2, 1 mg, incurved, red. Drupe sessile, scaly, ovoid, ½-¾in., flesh red; stone wrinkled and pitted. (Collett.)

A very commonly cultivated tree in China and Japan, and is much esteemed for its sub-acid fruits, which are eaten by natives and Europeans both raw and cooked. I can find no difference between it and the M. integrifolia of Roxb.,**

Myrica integrifolia is a very common native bush or tree in the mountainous parts of Bengal and the eastern peninsula of India, and especially in Silhet, where it is called Sophee, and the fruit is eaten both pickled and raw. (Hooker in Curtis' Bot. Mag. for Sept. 1, 1868.)

Uses : — The bark is described by writers on Sanskrit medicine as heating, stimulant, and useful in diseases supposed to be caused by deranged phlegm, such as catarrhal fever, cough, and affections of the throat. It enters into the composition of numerous formulæ for these diseases, in which it is combined with other stimulants and alteratives. The powdered bark is ​ occasionally used as a snuff in catarrh with headache. (U. C. Dutt.) It is also used by Hindus at the present day, mixed with, ginger, as a rubefacient application in cholera, &c, and according to Irvine, kaiphal and ginger mixed, is the best substance that can be employed for this purpose. Dymock writes, " Muhammadan writers tell us that the bark is resolvent, astringent, carminative and tonic ; that it cures catarrh and headaches; with cinnamon they prescribe it for chronic cough, fever, piles, &c. Compounded with vinegar, it strengthens the gums and cures toothache ; an oil prepared from it is dropped into the ears in earache. A decoction is a valuable remedy in asthma, diarrhœa, and diuresis ; powdered or in the form of lotion, the bark is applied to putrid sores : pessaries made of it promote uterine action. The usual dose for internal administration is about CO grains. Dahn-el-kandul, an oil prepared from the flowers, is said to have much the same properties as the bark."

The ground bark yields a coloring principle, named Myricetin. The yield of coloring matter from 100 grams of bark averaged from 0.23 to 0.27 gram. Its formula is C₁₅H₁₀O₈. Its points of similarities to, and differences from, other coloring principles are given in the following table :—

Analysis of the bark : —

Tannin matters absorbed by hide ... ... ... 27.3

Soluble non-tanning substances ... ... ... 7.9

Fibre and insoluble matters ... ... ... 52.3

Moisture... 12.5

(J. Ch. S. T. 1896 p. 1287.)

​PLATE No. 909.

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