Indian Medicinal Plants/Natural Order Samydaceæ
N. 0. SAMYDACEAE.
519. Casearia graveolens, Dalz, h.f.b.i., ii. 592.
Vern:—Naro, nahraw, chila, pimpri (Bomb); Chilli, nara or narha (Dehra Dun); Naro (Bijnor). Habitat : — Garhwal and Kumaon ; Sikkim ; Deccan Peninsula, especially the Western side, common ; Burma.
A shrub or tree, 20ft, high ; glabrous. Leaves 4-8 by l-2in. broad elliptic, little acuminate, rounded or acute at the base ; petiole ¼in. Flowers numerous, green, with a disagreeable odour, clustered in the axils of the leaves. Pedicels short, about ¼in., jointed above the base, pubescent below the articulation. Calyx lobes 5, sometimes pubescent. Petals none. Stamens 8, alternating with scale-like staminodes. Fruit ¾in., oblong- ellipsoid, 3-valved, glabrous, shining, 12 seeded.
This species is distinguished from C. esculenta by its less entire, less thick, leaves, and the Calyx pubescent at its base.
Use : — The fruit is used for poisoning fish (Duthie).
520. C. esculenta, Roxb : h.f.b.i., ii. 592. Roxb., 377.
Vern. :— Kunda-jungura (Tel.) ; Kodnapragara (Tel.) ; Jiru kaneli (Mal.) ; Mori, bokra (Bomb.).
Habitat: '— Western coast from the Concan southwards, and Hills of the Western Ghats. Common in the moist and dry regions and heights of Ceylon.
A shrub or tree, with slender branchlets, bark yellowish- white, smooth. Young parts glabrous. Wood moderately hard, evengrained. Leaves 2-5in., from narrow lanceolate to oval, tapering to base, shortly acuminate obtuse or sub-acute, entire or faintly serrate in upper part, perfectly glabrous, rather thick, petiole short, stipules persistent. Petals greenish, stout, longer than Calyx and articulated at base, which is surrounded by numerous very small bracts, few or many, on a raised boss, in axils of past and present leaves. Calyx-segments ovate, obtuse, persistent ; stamens 6 or usually 8 ; staminodes as long as filaments, oblong, ciliate or hairy. Fruit broadly ovoid or ellipsoid, ½-¾in. long, apiculate, glabrous or very slightly pubescent, edible, orange-yellow, dehiscing by 3 (or 2), thick valves. Seeds several, almost entirely covered by the fleshy lacerate scarlet aril (Trimen).
Use: — The roots are purgative, and as such used by the hill people (Roxb).
521. C. tomentosa, Roxb : h.f.b.l, ii. 593, Roxb, 377.
Syn. :-C. elliptica, Willd.
Vern. : — Chilla, chilara, bairi, bhari (H.) ; Maun (Manbhum) ; Roré (Kol.) ; Chorcho (Santa! .) ; Munkuru-kuri (Mal.) : ; Girari (Uriya) ; Thundri (Gond.) ; Khesa (Kurku.) ; Men, wasa, gamgudu (Tel.) ; Lainja, massei, karei (Mar.).
Habitat : — Common throughout India.
A small deciduous tree, attaining 25ft. Bark ⅓in. thick, brittle, exfoliating in more or less square flakes. Wood yellowish-white, moderately hard, rough, close-grained (Gamble). Branches spreading, all parts bitter. Branchlets tomentose or nearly glabrous. Stipules sma II, soon falling off. Leave obscurely serrate, elliptic-oblong, narrowed towards the apex or lanceolate, sometimes entire, not acuminate, base acute or rounded, 3-7 by 1½-3in., tomentose beneath ; midrib and petiole, when full grown, hairy ; petiole i-fin. long, translucent glands round or broad, elliptic. Flowers small, tomentose, ½in. long, densely clustered on scanty axillary tubercles, bisexual, regular, green-yellow, shortly stalked. Calyx free, persistent, tomentose, 5-parted, lobes orbicular, concave. Petals 0. Stamens 8, alternating with short ciliate staminodes ; " Stamens 7-10 (sometimes 12, Benth.)," says C. B. Clarke; filaments free, anthers 2-celled. Ovary superior, 1-celled ; style very short, stigma capitate; ovules numerous. Capsule more or less succulent, ovoid, ¾in. long, 6-ribbed, opening by valves ; seeds about 8 in each, valve ovoid, enveloped in a fleshy red aril.
Use:— The fruit is used to poison fish (Stewart). The bark is bitter and used as an adulterant for Mallotus Phillip-pinensis (kamela) powder. The bark is applied externally in dropsy (Rev. Campbell, Santal.).
The leaves are used in medicated baths, and the pulp of the fruit is a very useful diuretic (Lindley).
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