Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/646

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566
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS.


fail to afford more than temporary relief. (See Madras Quarterly Journ. of Med., vol. i. p.. 300, 1860.) Cataplasms of the bruised leaves, or fomentations with an infusion of the leaves, are much employed as a local application to bruises, sprains and other diseases. An extract prepared from the leaves and flowers is given in leprosy (Dr. J. Newton). Pharmacopœia of India.

The seeds have been reported as oily, but an authentic sample from Saharanpur examined in 1907 contained only 10-5 per cent., extracted by ether. The iodine value of the oil was 121-6 and had the drying properties of poppy seed oil. [Hooper in the Agricultural Ledger 1911-12 No. 5 p. 147.]

514. — Lagerstrœmia Flos-Reginae, Retz., h.f.b.i., ii. 577.

Vern. : — Arjuna, jarûl (Hind.) ; Jarûl (Beng.) ; Gara saikre (Kol.) ; Sekra (Santal) ; Ajhar, jarul (Assam) ; Bolashari (Garo.) ; Taman, bondara (Bomb.) ; Bondara, mota-bondara (Concan) ; Taman, tamana, mota bon, dara (Mar.) ; Kadali (Tam.) ; Chennangi (Tel.) ; Challâ, holedâsâl, maruva (Kan.) ; Adamboe (Malay.) ; yengma, kone-pyinma, pyinma (Burm.) ; Kamaung, (Magh.) ; Murute, mûrûta-gass (Sing.),

Habitat : — A large, deciduous tree of Eastern Bengal, Assam, Burma, and the West Coast, extending north to Ratnagiri ; cultivated as far north as Lahore.

A large deciduous tree reaching 50-60ft,, sometimes when old having on its trunk and larger branches a few strong straight spines, l-3in. Bark smooth, grey to cream-coloured, peeling off" in irregular flakes. Wood shining, light-red, hard, Leaves glabrous, 4-10in., from broad elliptic obtuse to long lanceolate. Petiole ¼-½in. long. Panicles large, lower branches often 6in., curved ascending flowers scattered. Flowers purplish lilac, 2-3in. across. Petiole distinct, usually ¼in. Calyx thick, green covered with hard white (sometimes ferruginous) tomentum ; ribs 12-14, flat or round, not acute on the back. Petals commonly lin. (sometimes more), margins erose- undulate, hardly fimbriate. Calyx in fruit very much thickened, finally woody, lobes triangular, spreading, stamens of equal length. Apex of the ovary glabrous. Fruit a large capsule,