Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/537
1273. Asparagus filicinus, Ham. h.f.b.i., VI., 314.
Vern. :— (Pb.).
Habitat : — Temperate and Tropical Himalaya, from Kashmir to Bhutan. The Khasia hills. Jaunsar, Burma.
A tall, erect, unarmed shrub, having tuberous roots. Stems flexuous, fistular, much branched, smooth; lower branches spreading ; upper internodes short. Cladodes 2-5nate, falcate, flat, acuminate, costate, 1/10-¼in. Pedicels solitary or 2-nate, ¼-½in., jointed above the middle, very slender. Flowers white, scarcely 1/10 in. diam. ; solitary or in pairs, polygamous. Perianth 1/12-1/10in., sub-campanulate ; stamens short ; anthers minute. Berry ¼-⅓in. diam.
Uses : — The root is considered tonic and astringent. In Kanáwár a sprig of this is put in the hands of small-pox patients as a curative measure. (Stewart.)
1274. A. racemosus, Willd., h.f.b.i., vi, 316 ; Roxb. 291.
Sans. : — Shatamúli (S. and B.).
Vern. : — Shakákúl (H.) ; Satáwar, bozandán, bozidán (Pb.) ; Shaquaqul-e-misri (Duk.) ; Satávari (Guj.); Satávari-mul. (Mar.); Tannir-muttan-kizhangu, skimai-shadavari (Tam.) ; Khalla-gaddu, pilli-pichara (fresh-root) ; sima-shata-vari (dry root) (Tel.) ; Shatavali (Mal.) ; Majjige-gadde (Kan.).
Habitat : — Found all over India.
A tall, rambling and scandent, spinous, excessively branched undershrub, root-stock tuberous. Branches triquetrous ; spines ¼-½in., straight or sub-recurved. Cladodes 2-6-nate, ½-¾in. long, 1/10in. broad, in the middle, acicular, trigonous, falcate, finely acuminate at both ends. Raceme l-2in., many-fid, solitary or fasicled, simple, rarely branched ; pedicels very slender, 1/6in., joined at or above the middle. Perianth white, fragrant, 1/12-1/5in. across ; segments oblong, obtuse ; anthers small, shortly oblong, purplish. Ovary-cells ovuled. Berry 1-2 seeded, globose or didymous, 1/6-¼in. diam. Very variable in length of leaves and spines. (Trimen).