Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/420

1170 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS.

strong nerves above the basal, and strong cross nervules. Petiole 3-6in., glabrous or puberulous. Stipules ovate or oblong lanceolate, not broad, tomentose. Panicles densely rusty-to-mentose or the branches nearly glabrous. Bracts at the axils and at the bases of the terminal branches very broad, dentate, and often veined, floral hemispheric. Bracteoles concave. Flowers 1/60in. diam. Male flowers : — Clusters enveloped in bracts and bracteoles ; sepals 3 ; stamens 2-5. Female flowers :— panicles simpler, in racemose branches with larger bracts. Calyx-limb obsolete ; ovary densely glandular, 1-celled, glabrous or puberulous ; style lateral. Stigma sessile, persistent, often embracing one side of the ovary, thickly papillose. Capsule globose, ¼-⅓in.diam., covered with hairs and glands. Seed globose ; testa brown, crustaceous, rough.

Uses : — The gum powdered and made into a paste is reckoned a good external application for venereal sores (Drury.)

The country people used the following in jarandi (Liver) : — One part of the young shoots, with three parts of the young shoots of khoreti (Ficus asperimma) are sprinkled with hot water and the juice extracted ; in this is rubbed down two parts each of the barks of both trees. The preparation may be administered twice a day in doses of ⅛th of a seer. (Dymock.)

Vern. :-Arand ; Eranda,

Habitat: — Cultivated throughout India and naturalized near habitations.

An evergreen, small tree. Shoots and panicles glaneous. Leaves green or reddish, 1-2'ft. diam., membranous, lobes from oblong to linear-acute or acuminate, glandserrate ; petiole 4-12in. Racemes stout, erect. Male flowers: — ½in. diam., being above the female in the same panicle. Stamens numerous. Female calyx ½in. long. Ovary 3-celled ; styles spreading, feathery, often highly coloured, principally crimson. Capsule globose, generally echinate, ½-lin. long. Seeds mottled, oblong, smooth, with fleshy albumen.