A tall erect much-branched herb, 1-3 ft. high. Stem 4-sided, grooved, glabrous or scaberulous, often spotted with purple. Leaves pinnatisect, 1-1½ in. long, the uppermost (bracts) simple, segments filiform. Flowers subsessile, axillary, solitary or in few-flowered terminal racemes ; bracteoles ½ in. long, filiform, pedicels slender. Calyx ¾ in. long, tube strongly ribbed ; teeth linear-subulate, erect. Corolla rose-coloured, 1-1½ in. long, limb ¾ in. across ; lobes broad, spreading. Filaments hairy. Capsule as long as the calyx, oblong-ellipsoid. (Duthie).
Use : -The juice of the plant is applied by held labourers in the Deccan to their feet to heal sores caused by exposure to moisture. It is astringent and stains the skin at first yellow and afterwards a black color (Dymock.).
898. Pedicularis pectinata, Wall, h.f.b.i., iv. 306.
Vern : — Mishran (Pb.).
Habitat : — Western Temperate Himalaya, from Kashmir to Kumaon.
Usually tall, stout, glabrous, except the often hairy spike, cauline leaves whorled, lanceolate, pinnatifid, or pinnatisect, with serrate segments or 2-pinnatifid, calyx-teeth acute entire, corolla-tube short, upper lip inflated, sickle-shaped, beak long, tip twisted. Stem 6-18in., simple or branched. Leaves 3-6in., sometimes 4 in. broad, ovate or oblong ; petiole long, slender. Spikes 2-6 in., lax-fid. ; bracts as long as the calyx, ovate or lanceolate. Calyx ½ in. long, inflated in fruit. Corolla ¾ in., rosered, beak with a double flexure, as long as the tube. Filaments hairy. Capsule ½ in., ovoid acute, tip exserted. Seeds large, ⅓ in. long, ridged and deeply pitted, pale.
Use : — In Kanawar the pounded leaves are given for hæmoptysis. The plant is also officinal at Lahore. (Stewart.)
899. P. siphonantha, Don. Prod, h.f.b.i., iv. 313.
Habitat : — Alpine Himalaya, from Kashmir to Sikkim.
Glabrate or sparsely pubescent or hirsute, stems many from
