Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/398
uvula and tonsils are swelled. The bark is astringent. Further information upon the medicinal properties of this plant is wanted. (Dymock.)
1138, Putranjiva Roxburghii. Wall., h.f.b.i., v. 336.
Syn. :— Nageia Putranjiva, Roxb. 716.
Sans : — Putra-jiva.
Vern. : — Jiaputa, joti, pútr-jiva, (H.) ; Putranjiva, jiáputa (B.) ; Pitoj (Sant) ; Patájan, jiyaputra, seeds — jíapota ; leaves = pútrajívak (Pb.) ; Puta-jan, putra-jiva, jiv-putrak, jiwan-putr (Mar.) ; Karupali (Tam.) ; Kadrajuvi, kudrajinie, maháputra jívi yárala, kuduru juvir (Tel.) ; Pongalam (Mal).
Habitat : — Wild and cultivated throughout Tropical India, from the Lower Himalaya in Kumaon, eastwards and southwards to Pegu and Ceylon.
A handsome, evergreen, moderate- sized, tree generally with pendant branches. Branchlets slender, minutely pubescent ; petioles pubescent ; foliage dark-green. Bark dark-grey, whitish when young, with numerous horizontal oblong lenticels. Wood grey, moderately hard, close-grained. Leaves]obliquely obovate or ovate lanceolate, serrulate, 2-3in., obtuse, acute or acuminate, coriaceous, shining, base unequal-sided. Main lateral nerves 8-10 pair, besides secondary nerves and reticalate veins. Petiole 1/5-3/10in. long ; stipules subulate, deciduous. Disk 0. Male flowers short, pedicelled, in axillary clusters which are often spicate ; calyx 3-5 partite ; stamens 3 ; filaments free or connate at the base. Female flowers long, pedicelled, axillary, solitary or in twos or threes; calyx 5-6-cleft, segments small, imbricate; stamens 3, filaments more or less connate. Ovary tomentose ; styles 3 ; stigmas crescent-shaped, fleshy. Fruit drupe, ½in. long, ovoid or globose ; white tomentose on pedicels, ½in. long. Putamen hard, pointed, rugose ; seed one.
Uses : — The leaves and stones of the fruit are given in decoction in colds and fevers. (Stewart.)
The nuts are hung rouud the necks of children to keep them in good health. They are mentioned in the Nighantas as being