Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/301
1026. P. amplexicaulis, Cav., h.f.b.i. iv. 706.
Vern. : — Gajpipali, isafgol, spighwal (Pb.).
Habitat : — Panjab Plains, from the Sutlej westwards. Malwa, Sindh on the Boogta Hills.
An annual or perennial herb, stemless or subcauleseent, sparsely hairy a subglabrescent, branched from the base 2-4in. high, bearing axillary leaves and scapes. Leaves long, very narrowly lanceolate, finely acuminate 3-nerved, base sheathing. Scapes very numerous, stout, glabrous, axillary. Spikes ovoid ½-l½in. Flowers large. Bracts cupular, glabrous, membranous, except the green rib. Sepals rounded, outer with a green keel, inner all membranous. Corolla-lobes ovate, acute. Seeds 1/6in., boatshaped, brown. Septum 1/6-¼in., oblong thickened, black,
Uses : — Said to be an astringent, useful in intermittent fever, and as an application to the eyes in ophthalmia ; also used as an antidote for sanke-bite ; highly valuable in pulmonary affections. (Ainslie.)
1027. P. ovata, Forsk., h.f.b.i., iv. 707.
Syn. : — P. Ispaghula, Roxb. 135.
Vern. : — Isubgol (H.) ; Isabgul (B.) ; Spungar (Sind); Isapgul (M.). Esopgol, uthamu-jirun Guz.; Iskolvirai (Tam.); Jsabagala vittulu (Tel.) ; Isabagolu, Visamagolu (Kan.).
The seeds are not mentioned by the old Hindu writers, but the Guzerati name appears to be of Sanskrit origin. In all the vernaculars, corruptions of the Persian name, Ispaghul, are in use. This word is a compound of ,_^J "a horse, " and J J " the car," in allusion to the shape of the seeds (Dymock.)
Habitat : — Punjab Plains and low Hills, from the Sutlej westwards ; Sindh.
An annual, stemless or subcauleseent herb, sparsely or thickly villous. Stem rarely branched from the base. Leaves all radical. 3-9in., rarely ¼in. diam., usually 3-nerved, entire or distantly toothed, narrow-linear or filiform, finely acuminate. Scapes glabrous, pubescent, longer or shorter than the leaves. Spikes ½-1½, ovoid a cylindric. Bracts with broad scarious margins, ovate, oblong, obtuse, glabrous. Corolla glabrous ; lobes rounded, concave, obtuse. Sepals sub-similar, glabrous or pubescent. Capsule 2-celled, cell 1 -seeded. Seeds cymbiform.