Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/629

by preference. It causes, peoples say, as much discomfort to the stomach as a woollen loin cloth to the skin, and hence the proverb— "Mandua ki roti, kamala ki dhoti."

Uses : — Mr. Baden-Powell mentions this plant among his drugs, but says nothing about its medicinal properties. Some assert that it is astringent.

Vern. : — Makra, makri, (Hind ) ; Kâkuriya, (Uriya) ; Suntu-bukrui, (Santal) ; Cavara-pullu, [Mal (S.P.)] ; Maka-makna, tipakia (Bundel.) ; Madana, chimbari, chubrei, bhobra, madhâna, karmadhana, (Pb.); Malicha, maligha, mansa, (Raj.); Mathna, chikâra, chota mandiya, ute-sirkum, ute-sirla, (C. P.); Mhar, nâchani, natchni, nagli, raj, (Bomb.) ; Tamida, sodee, (Tam.) ; Muttengapilloo, (Tel.) ; Puta-tana, (Sing.).

Habitat : — Plentiful all over Northern India, especially on cultivated ground.

An annual, very variable in habit. Stems erect 6-18 in high, many, spreading from the crown, decumbent rooting below, then ascending and either slender, sub-simple and 12-18 in high, or very short, stout, copiously di-trichotomously branched the branches often prostrate, short, divaricate, leafy roots capillary. Leaves in tall stems 4-6 in., narrowly linear, acuminate flaccid, flat smooth in short rebush specimens, ½-1in., subilate lanceolate rigid glabrous or ciliate towards the rounded, subcordate, or simple base, margins nearly smooth sheathes compressed long in slender states, very short and often inflated in short, leaved states, upper sometimes spathiform, ligule obscure, Pedicels long and slender to very short and stout sometimes shorter than the upper leaves. Spikes 2-5, digitately radiating from the top of the peduncle, under ½-1in. long, ¼-⅓in. diam, across the spikelets, rhachis narrow, trigonous or dorsally flattened, rigid, smooth or puberulous, sometimes excurrent in a pungent mucro ; spikelets inniunrable 3-4 fid many-seriate 1/10-⅛ in- long and broad, densely crowded at right angles to the rhachis 3-1 fid very strongly compressed regid base bearded,