Indian Medicinal Plants/Natural Order Malpighiaceæ

by Kanhoba Ranchoddas Kirtikar and Baman Das Basu

N. 0. MALPIGHIACEÆ.

203. Hiptage Madablota, Gaertn. h.f.b.i., i. 418.

Syn.:—Gærtnera racemosa, Roxb. 360.

Sans:—Mâdhavi, Atimuktâ.

Vern.:—Kampti, madmalti; huthee mookta (H.); Endra, chopar, benkar (Pb.); Madhablata (B.); Haladwail, Madhúmâlati, Mâdhavlata, Mâdhavi. (Mar.); Aita-lugala (N. W. P.); Shempati (Nepal); Baromali (Uriya); Mádhavi tige, vadla yárála, potuvadla (Tel.)

Trimen:—(Singhalese) Puwak-gédi.

J. Indraji:—(Porebunder and Gujrat) Rakatpiti, Ragatpiti, Madhavi,

Habitat:—Throughout the hotter parts of India. Ceylon, low country, moist and dry regions.

A large straggling shrub, trunk stout and erect, often of considerable size. Branchlets, young leaves and inflorescence hoary or adpressed-tomentose. Bark brown, thin, exfoliating in small thin flakes. Wood reddish-brown, very rough, soft and moderately hard, with darker patches in the centre (Gamble). Branches stout. Leaves 3-6in., oblong or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate or cordate-acuminate : coriaceous, petioled, shining above. Racemes with densely adpressed pubescence, l-6in., axillary, usually forming a leafy panicle. Flower ½-1in. diam., very fragrant, white. Sepals obtuse. Petals twice as long, fimbriate, the 5th petal dashed with yellow at base. Carpels with a central wing between the 2 lateral. Wings of carpels coriaceous, middle one, one or two inches long, linear-oblong or oblanceolate, the two outer or lateral narrower or shorter, spreading half as long. Seeds subglobose. Cotyledons thick, unequal.

Parts used:—The leaves and bark.

Uses:—The leaves are esteemed useful in cutaneous diseases (Watt).

The bark is a good sub-aromatic bitter (Graham). The juice of the leaves is an effectual insecticide and a valuable application in scabies, if rubbed well and frequently over the affected parts (Moodeen Sheriff).

Useful in chronic rheumatism and asthma (Dr. Houston in Watt's Dictionary).

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