Indian Medicinal Plants/Natural Order Goodenovieæ

by Kanhoba Ranchoddas Kirtikar and Baman Das Basu

N. 0. GOODENOVIAÆ.

701. Scœvola Kœnigic, Vahl h.f.b.i., iii. 421 Roxb. 177 (under S. Taccada).

Vern. : — Bhadrák (Bomb.). Habitat: — Sea-shores of India, from Sind to Ceylon, and from Burma to Malacca.

A large shruby plant with thin loose bark ; stem and branches stout. Leaves 3-5in., alternate, entire or rarely obscurely crenate, silky or glabrescent, tufted in the axils, petioled, obovate-oblong, obtuse, herbaceous. Flowers white, tinged with purple. Cymes axillary, much shorter than the leaves. Bracts small. Calyx-lobes ⅛-¼in. linear-lanceolate, obtuse and enlarged in fruit. Corolla-tube ¾in., oblique split to the base behind, narrow pubescent ; lobes ¼-⅓in., lanceolate, anthers free. Indusium of the stigma ciliate ; ovary 2-1 celled, with 2 erect ovules. Drupe ⅓-½in., subspherical, very succulent ; endocarp long.

Use : — The juice of the berries is instilled by the Amboyans into the eyes to clear off opacities and take away dimness of vision (Rumplins).

---

(Improve this image)