Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/453

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N. 0. URTICACEÆ.
1203


1189. Antiaris toxicaria, Leschen, h.f.b.i., v. 537.

Vern :— Chándla, chándkuda, charvár mádá, karvat or kharvat (Bomb, and Mar.) ; Karwat (Konkan) ; Alli, netávil, nettá-vil maram (Tam.) ; Jazngri, Agganpatte, Jaguri (Kan.) ; Araya- angely , nettá-vil. (Mal.)

English : —The Upas tree.

Habitat :— The Deccan Peninsula, on the ghats, from the Concan southwards. According to Beddome, it is the largest tree of the Western forests attaining a height of 250ft.

A gigantic, ever-green tree, attaining 250ft. Trunk often buttressed. Bark thick, grey. Wood white, soft, even-grained ; young shoots, petioles and midrib velvety. Leaves glabrous or hairy beneath, 4-8in. glossy, elliptic, acuminate, entire or serrulate ; base rounded or cordate, young lanceolate, serrulate. Petiole ¼in. Flowers menæcious. Males crowded on the surface of the pedunculate and usually fascicled receptacles, which are supported by imbricating bracts ; sepals 3-4 ; stamens 3-8. Females solitary, enclosed in a pear-shaped involucre of numerous confluent bracts ; perianth O; ovary aduate to the involucre, Fruit like a small fig, purple scarlet or crimson ; pyriform velvety, fleshy, ¾in. diam., " Male-receptacles 3-4, together, orbicular ; and pedunales velvety, ½in. diam." (J. D. Hooker.)

Uses : — The juice of the tree is the source of the fabulous Upas poison. The poison at first acts as a purgative and emetic, then as a narcotic causing death by violent fits of tetanic convulsions.

In the Concan and in Canara, the bitter seeds are used as a febrifuge, and in dysentery, one-third to one-half of a seed being given three times a day.

Antiarin, the most important constituent of the milky juice of Antiaris toxicaria, has the formula, C27H42O10+4 H2O, and antiarose, C6H12O5 , a sugar metameric with rhamnose.

1190. Artocarpus hirsuta, Lamk., h.f.b.i., v. 541.

Vern, :— Ranphanas, Pat-phanas (Mar.). Ayni, Anjalli (Tam.).