Indian Medicinal Plants/Natural Order Caryophylleæ

by Kanhoba Ranchoddas Kirtikar and Baman Das Basu

N. 0. CARYOPHYLLEÆ,

116. Saponaria Vaccaria., Linn, h.f.b.i., i. 217.

Syn. :— S. perfoliata, Roxb. 385.

Vern. :— Musna (Santal.; H.); Sabuni (B.).

Habitat ; — In wheat fields throughout India.

An annual herb, tall robust, simple or sparingly branched, perfectly glabrous, 12-24 in. high. Leaves 1-3 by ⅓-¾ in., acute, cauline, linear-oblong. Radical leaves oblong, cauline sessile, base rounded or cordate. Flowers erect in dichotomous cymes. Pedicels slender, more or less tubular, ½ in., with 5 broad green nerves, ventricose in fruit. Calyx-teeth triangular, margins scarious. Petals short, obovate, rosy. Stamens 10. Styles two. Capsule included, broadly ovoid. Seeds large, globose, black, granulate.

Part used : — The sap.

Use : — The mucilaginous sap of the plant is used by the natives in the cure for itch (Murray.)

It is considered by natives to have febrifuge and tonic- properties in long continued fevers of a low type (S. Arjun.)

The decoction of an allied species, Saponaria officinalis, has been employed both in France and Germany as an external application to the itch. It has also been given internally in gout, rheumatism, and some other disorders.

Saponaria officinalis contains a principle, called Saponine, which is white, amorphous, and has a taste first sweet, then styptic, and finally acrid. It is a powerful sternutatory, and is soluble in water. The solution froths when agitated, like soap. When acted on by alkalies, saponine is converted into saponic acid. The detergent properties of the plant appear to depend on this substance (Sowerby's English Botany).

The Indian species does not seem to have been as yet chemically analysed.

117. Polycarpœa corymbose, Lam. h.f.b.i, i. 245.

Vern, : — In Porebunder, it is called the small-leaved Okharâd.

Habitat: — Throughout India, Ceylon, Burma. Found on Burda Mt, in Porebunder State (J. Indraji).

An erect or decumbent annual or perennial herb. Stems 6-12 in., erect or ascending, much dichotonously branched; branches very numerous, wings diffuse, 4-10 in. long, spreading from the centre, hoary, tomentose or glabrescent. Leaves numerous, narrow, linear or subulate, pseudo-verticillate (in opposite clusters), ⅓-1 in., acuminate, acute or obtuse, much exceeding the stipules. Stipules lanceolate or subulate, scarious. Flowers crowded in conspicuous terminal dichotomous silvery cymes, 1/6 in. Sepals somewhat unequal, 5, free with scarious white margins, shining white or coloured, narrowly lanceolate, 1/10 in , very acute, keeled on the back, glabrous or pilose, much exceeding the petals and capsule. Petals 5, truncate, white, much, shorter than the sepals. Style 1, tip 3-toothed. Capsule much shorter than the calyx opening by 3 valves. Seeds numerous, rough, pale-brown, small.

Use : — In Pudukota, used both externally and internally as a remedy for the bites of venomous reptiles (Pharmacographia Indica, Vol. 1, 158). In Porebunder it is similarly used as pounded leaves for bites from animals. Its pounded leaves are also used with molasses in the form of a pill in jaundice by the villagers of Porbunder.

The pounded leaves are also used over boils and inflammatory swellings, as poultice, warmed or cold (J. Indraji.).

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