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Uses : — "The natives of Bengal esteem it a plant of great value, because they think it an easy, speedy and certain cure for the troublesome eruption called ringworm. (Hon'ble John Hyde, in a letter to Roxburgh.) Agardh notices its use in itch and leprosy. (Dymock.)
Chemical composition— The plant contains a red colouring matter soluble in alcohol and intensified by alkalies and having some reactions peculiar to chrysophanic acid. (Pharmacogr. Ind., III., 511.)
N. 0. COMMELINACEÆ.
1291. Commelina obliqua, Ham., H.F.B.I., VI., 372.
Syn. : — C. communis, Roxb. 57.
Sans. : — Kanchata.
Vern. : — Korna, kanjurá, kána (Hind) ; Játa-kanchura, játa-kansbira (B.).
Habitat : — Throughout India, from the base of the Himalaya to 6,000ft. The Western Ghats, Singapore, Ceylon.
An annual herb, 2-3ft., stout, branched, glabrous. Branches widely creeping below. Leaves very variable, 4-7 by l-2in., sessile or petioled, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, finely acuminate or caudate, membranous, glabrous, scabrous or villous. Sheath ¾-lin. ; mouth ciliate, with long hairs. Spathes sessile or very shortly peduncled, ¾-lin. broad and long, solitary or crowded, turbinately funnel-shaped, cuspidate, glabrous. Raceme usually simple. Flowers bright-blue, ⅔in. across, clawed. Petals orbicular, pale-blue, one of them nearly white (Collett). Ovary 3-celled. Ovule 1 in each cell. Capsule ⅓in. long obovoid or oblong, trigonous, 3-celled, 3-valved, 3-seeded. Seeds -¾in. long, oblong or ellipsoid smooth, puberulous, lead-coloured, margins often marbled. (Trimen.) (J. D. Hooker).
Uses : — The root is useful in vertigo, fevers and bilious affections, and as an antidote to snake-bites. (Atkinson.) According to Loureiro, it is refrigerant and laxative, and to be useful in strangury and costiveness.