Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/319

Syn. : — Salsola fruticosa, Linn.

Vern. : — Loonuk, chotee lanee, usak lanee (Pb.) ; Morasa (Mar.) ; Ushuklani (Sind.) ; Zimeh (Pushtu).

Habitat: — North-West India, from Delhi, and throughout the Punjab, westward to the Indus, common in the plains.

A perennial herb, sub-erect or decumbent. Stem and branches usually slender, erect or divaricate. Leaves ½-terete, linear or ellipsoid, obtuse (very variable) 1/6-½in . long. Spikes slender, leafy. Flowers minute, axillary, usually 2-sexual, bracteate, and 2-bracteate. Perianth short, subglobose, 5-lobed or partite ; lobes or segments equal or unequal, simple or gibbous or sub winged. Stamens 5, short ; Styles 3, short. Fruit, utricle included, membranous. Seeds vertical or horizontal ; testa black, shining.

Uses : — This is one of the plants from which sajji-khar is prepared. The woolly excrescenses on the tips of its branches, mixed with an empyreumatic oil, are used as an application to sores on the backs of camels. The leaves are applied as a poultice to ophthalmia, and used, infused in water, as an emetic by Sindhis. (Stewart and Murray.)

Vern. : — Umari Nandi (South Arcot.)

Habitat : — South Deccan ; on the seacoast at Tinnevelly and Tuticorin.

Shrubby, branches suberect, leaves linear flattish obtuse, spikes leafy panicled, flowers axillary 2-3-nate polygamous, bracts minute scarious entire, fruiting perianth obovate-oblong, lobes obtuse incurved, styles 2-5 short, seed vertical, testa black shining. I am in great doubt about this Indian plant, which in a dry state is difficult to distinguish from S. fruticosa and vermiculata. (J. D. Hooker.)

Use : — It is put to the same uses as the preceding. From it also Sajji khar is prepared. Indian Forester for Nov. 1914, contains a note on Saltworts of South Arcot from the pen of Mr, T. P. Ghose, who says—