Indian Medicinal Plants/Natural Order Tiliaceæ

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Indian Medicinal Plants (1918)
Kanhoba Ranchoddas Kirtikar and Baman Das Basu

Natural Order Tiliaceæ

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4157742Indian Medicinal Plants — Natural Order Tiliaceæ1918Kanhoba Ranchoddas Kirtikar and Baman Das Basu

N. O. TILIACEÆ.

188. Grewia tiliœfolia, Vahl. H.F.B.I., I. 386, Roxb. 431.

Sans.:—Dharmana, Dhanurvriksha; Dhanvan.

Vern. : — Phársá dhámani (H. and B.) ; Dhâman Karkani (Bomb) ; Olat (Santa!) ; Khesla, kasul (Gond) ; Thada, tharra (Tam.) ; Charachi, tharrah, Udúpai, tada (Tel.) ; Thadsal, dadsal, batala, bútále (Kan.)

Habitat : — Hot dry forests throughout Western India, ascending 4,000 feet in the Himalaya. Western Peninsula, Burma, Ceylon low country.

A large deciduous tree, with cinereous exfoliating bark. Leaves ovate, sometimes rhomboidal or 3-lobed, obliquely cordate, acute or obtuse, acuminate at apex, bluntly crenate-serrate, sparsely stellate-pubescent or glabrous above, stellate-tomentose, often white beneath, stellate-pubescent on the nerves ; basal nerves 5 ; blade 2-5½ in. by 1-4in., petiole ½-lin. long; stipules ½in. long, leafy falcate, veined and auricled, deciduous. Flowers small, in axillary umbels ; peduncles ½-lin. long, axillary, 3-8 fascicled, 3-flowered ; pedicels shorter than the peduncles ; buds ovoid, grey-tomentose, 5-ribbed ; bracteoles linear-lanceolate. Sepals linear-ovate, ½in. long, glabrous, white tomentose outside and yellowish within. Petals ovate, emarginate, yellow, turning purple, much shorter than the sepals ; basal gland green and densely white-villous on the margins and often more than ⅓- the length of the petal. Torus short-ribbed, glabrous, obscurely-toothed and hairy at top. Stamens, with purple filaments and yellow anthers. Ovary globose, villous ; style longer than the stamens ; stigma peltate, irregularly 5-lobed. Drupe 2-4 lobed, but not deeply, of the size of a pea, black ; lobes several-seeded.

The fruit is said to be eaten (Trimen).

Parts used : — The bark and wood.

Uses : — in the Konkan the bark, after removal of the tuber, is rubbed down with water, and the thick mucilage strained from it and given in 5-tola doses, with 2 tolas of the flour of Panicum miliaceum (warri) as a remedy for dysentery (Dymock).

The bark is also employed externally to remove the irritation from cow-itch. Colonel Cox says that the wood reduced to a powder acts as an emetic, and is employed by the natives as an antidote to opium poisoning.

189. G. asiatica, Linn, h.f.b.i, i 386., Roxb. 431.

Sans, : — Purusha.

Vern. : — Phálsâ, shakri (B. and H.) ; Phalna, pharnu (Pb.) ; Phutiki (Tel.) ; Singhindamin (Kol.) ; Jangolat (Santal) ; Tadáchi (Tam.'; Pastaoni, shikarim-ai-wah (Pushtu); Pháraho, phalsa (Sind).

Habitat: — Cultivated in India, except in the Gangetic plains and East Bengal, and said to be indigenous in the Salt Range, Poonch and Oudh, Ceylon.

N.B. — Kanjilal's Syn. of this plant is G. Asiatica Var. vestita, Wall, (See p. 65. For. Fl. Sch. Circ., N. W. P., 3rd Ed. 1911, Calcutta).

The following is Kanjilal's description : — "A tree with grey bark ; branches and young plants with large white blotches. Leaves 3-5 by 2-2½ in., obliquely ovate, generally not cordate, acuminate, minutely serrate, sometimes obscurely 3-lobed, pale and softly downy beneath, especially when young ; basal nerves 5-6 ; petiole generally not exceeding ½in. ; stipules linear. Flowers in densely crowded (rarely solitary) axillary cymes ; peduncles ⅓-⅔ in. long, not ribbed. Sepals slightly pubescent, and yellow inside. Petals yellow, much shorter than the sepals. Drupe globose, ⅛-1/5 in. diam., sometimes indistinctly 2-4-lobed, dark brown, or black when ripe."

Kanjilal further remarks: —On comparing a number of specimens collected by me, Mr. Duthie was satisfied that G. elastica, Royle, was quite distinct from G. vestita, Wall., on the grounds that in the former the innovations were dark rusty- tomentose, the petals not glandular at the base, and the leaves very frequently lobed. (p. 66 of cit.) Wood grey, tough, elastic, hard and close-grained. The bark yields white fibre. Fruit edible.

Parts used : — The fruit, leaves, bark and root. Uses : — The fruit is supposed to possess astringent, cooling and stomachic properties ; from it a spirit is distilled and a pleasant sherbet. The leaves are used as an application to pustular eruptions, and the buds are also prescribed by native practitioners. An infusion of the bark is used as a demulcent. (Dr. Stewart).

The Santals use the root-bark for rheumatism (Revd. A. Campbell).

190. G. scabrophylla, Lamk. h.f.b.i, i. 387., Roxb. 430.

Vern. : — Pándhari dháman, khatkhati (Mar.); Darsuk (Kan.).

Habitat: — Tropical Himalaya, Garwhal, Sikkim, Mysore, from Gujrat straight to Behar, Sub-Himalaya tract and outer valley, from the Jumna eastward, Oudh forests, Northern Circars, Assam, Pegu, Upper Burma (Ava), Chittagong ; common in Dun and Saharanpur forests (Kanjilal).

A shrub ; branchlets, underside of leaves and inflorescence clothed with soft, tawny tomentum. Leaves 3-6 by 4 in., often slightly lobed, base 3-5-nerved, secondary nerves not arched, scabrous above, pubescent beneath, roundish ovate, irregularly serrate. Brandis says the leaves are 4-9 in. long, ovate or obovate, tertiary nerves distinct beneath. Petiole ½in. ; peduncles short, 1-4in., axillary ; stipule subulate, Flowers large, 2-3 on each peduncle, ¾ in. Blade of petals white, ovate, larger than often twice the length of the claw.

Cymes umbellate, says Maxovell T. Masters (Hook.) ; pedicels diverging, longer than the peduncles. Bracteoles linear-subulate, deciduous. Flower-buds obovate-oblong, ribbed. Sepals linear-lanceolate, pubescent ; Petals notched, half the length of the sepals, or less. Gynophore glabrous, edge villous, 5, small tufts of hair at base, between petals. Fruit a globose drupe, not lobed, ½-¾ in. diam., rind brown, crustaceous, hairy ; stones 4, 1-2-seecled, in sweet, yellowish viscid pulp.

Parts used : — The leaves and root. Uses: — It is given in accordance with the "doctrine of signatures" as a remedy for leprosy in the Concan ; it appears to be simply mucilaginous like most of the gums. (Dymock).

Its roots are used by the Goanese as the substitute of Althæa.

191. G. villosa, Willd. h.f.b.i, i. 388.

Vern : — Gaphni (Kol) ; Tarse kotap (Santal) ; Jalidar kaskusri, thamther (Pb.) ; In zarra, pastuwanne (Pushtu) ; Dhoban (Ajmer). Kharmati (Mar). Pâde Khado (Gujrat and Porebunder) ; Luskanú jhâd (Cutch).

Habitat :— Western and Southern India, extending from Panjab and Sind to Travancore. Gujrat, Porebundar, Kutch.

A shrub often gregarious. Branches, leaves and inflorescence densely silky, with long stellate hairs. Leaves not hoary beneath, nearly orbicular, from a cordate base ; 1-4 in. diam., rugose, transverse veins numerous, prominent and parallel, tufts of sikly hairs in the serratures. Secondary nerves not arched. Petiole ½-1 in. Base of leaves 5-nerved. Stipules broad, leafy. Flowers dull-yellow, peduncles very short, in compact axillary clusters, sometimes opposite the leaves. Bracts oblong. Sepals oblong or linear-acute, villous, membranous, ⅓ in. long, clothed on both sides with short stellate hairs, outside also with simple hairs, the tips often with a long-branched and stellate process. Blade of petal thin, twice the length of a claw, oblong, notched, much shorter than the sepals. Fruit globose, size of cherry, with a distinct crustaceous brown rind, with tufts of long stellate hairs ; pulp pleasant. Stones 4, 1-2- seeded.

The sweet acid fruit is used as dessert by the poor of Porebunder. The juice of fresh bark is used with sugar and water for gonorrhœa and urinary complaints attended with irritability of the bladder.

Part used : —The root.

Use: — The root is employed for diarrhœa in Chutia Nagpur (Revd. A. Campbell.)

912 G. polygama, Roxb. h.f.b.i., i. 398,, Roxb. 431.

Syn. :- — G. lancifolia, Graham, Cat Bombay Plants 21.

Vern. : — Kukur bicha (H.) ; Seta kata, seta andir (Santal) ; Gowli or gowali (Bomb.)

Habitat : — North-Western India, and along the Himalaya, from the Salt Range to Nepal, also Concan. Dry country, Ceylon.

A shrubby plant or small tree. Branches bifarious, spreading ; branchlets, petioles, under side of leaves velvety. Leaves almost sessile, narrow beneath, distichous 3-4 by ½-¾ in., lanceolate, very acute serrate, base 3-nerved, nerves not arched, secondary nerves transverse, parallel. Stipules subulate. Peduncles 1-5, short, axillary, slender, generally fasciculate, about half the length of the leaves ; pedicles 2-3, divergent, shorter than the peduncle. Male flower : — Sepals 1/6-¼ in. diam., linear, longer than the oblong entire petals, ⅛ in., blade equal to claw which is hairy on back. Stamens as a rule 10-12, but sometimes more numerous. Hermaphrodite FI. : — Ovary very hairy, stigma 5-lobed, lobes spreading, deeply cut into numerous segments. Drupe ½in. diam ; hairy, brownish, more or less 2-lobed. Stones 4, 1-seeded.

Use : — This plant is used by the aborigines of North-Western Australia as a remedy for dysentery. Dr. W. E. Armit states that on one occasion, having had to treat dysentery following on fever and ague, this plant was pointed out to him by a native as a sure remedy. He collected a quantity of leaves, and having made a pale sherry-coloured decoction of the leaves, he administered about two tablespoonsful for a dose. Repeating this every four hours throughout the night, the sixth dose made a complete cure. " Since then," says Mr. Armit, "I have tried this remedy in scores of cases, and I have never known it to fail in any case, however serious. I have made it a rule to inform the carriers and travellers, I meet, of the sure cure they have always at hand in case it may be required, and all are unanimous in extolling its truly magical properties." (Christy's New Commercial Plants, No. 7, p. 50. 1884).

The fruit is employed as a medicine by the Santals, in diarrhœa and dysentery. The root pounded is also prescribed for the same diseases, and powdered in water is applied externally to hasten suppuration, and as a dressing for wounds. The paste dries and forms a hard coating, thus effectually excluding air from the raw surface (Revd. A. Campbell.)

193. Triumfetta rhomboidea, Jacquin, h.f.b.i., i. 395. Roxb., 390 and 391.

Sansk : — Jhinjharitâ (J. Indraji).

Vern. :— Chitki, Chiriyâri (H.) ; Bun-okra (B.}; Aodaiotti (Tam.) Nichârdi (Bomb.). Jhinjudi ; Nichârdi (Marâthi).

Habitat : — Throughout tropical and sub-tropical India, and Ceylon, a very common weed. It grows wild and freely on Matheran Hill.— K. R. Kirtikar.

An annual or perennial herb, 1½-3 ft., slightly branched ; branches pubescent, with simple hairs. Leaves 1-2½ in., variable, the lower more or less deeply 3-fid., the upper ovate-lanceolate, all coarsely and irregulary serrate, simply hairy on both sides ; often tomentose and white beneath. Petiole of lower leaves long, of upper leaves very short. Flowers small, 3/8- in. diam., yellow, on short pedicels, clusters crowded into a spicate inflorescence at end of branches, buds oblong, slightly stellate-pubescent ; petals equalling sepals. Stamens 8-15. Fruit very small, globose, 1/6in., finely tomentose, spines less than ⅛in., glabrous, hooked, cells 3-4.

Parts used : —The fruit, flowers and leaves.

Uses : — The mucilaginous and astringent properties of the leaves and fruits of certain Triumfettas, called Carapixo de Calcada in Brazil, which grow everywhere in that country, especially on the roadside, and in the vicinity of dwellings, render them serviceable in injections for inveterate gonorrhœa. (Murray.) The bark and fresh leaves for diarrhœa ; also flowers rubbed with sugar and water are given in gonorrhœa by the villagers of Porebunder to stop the burning caused by urine (J. Tndraji.)

All the species of this genus are mucilaginous, and are used as demulcents, but this is the one generally so employed * * The burr-like fruit is believed in India to promote parturition (Dymock.)

194. Corchorus capsularis, Linn., h.f.b.i., i. 397. Roxb. 429.

Sans. '-— Kála Sáka.

Vern. : — Harrawa (Shahjahanpur District) Ghinalta pat, Narcha, Chouchen (Bombay); Chhuneht, Borachhûncht (Gujrat, Porebunder). — J. Indraji.

Habitat : — Throughout the hotter parts of India. Low-country, Ceylon.

An annual herb. Leaves 2-4 by ¾ in., glabrescent, oblong, acuminate, coarsely toothed ; base generally prolonged into tail- like appendages ; petiole 1½ in. Stipules ¼-⅓ in. Flowers yellow, less than half an inch in diameter ; pedicillate. Capsule oblate, subglobose, 5-celled, wrinkled, muricate, 5-valved, valves without transverse septa. Seeds few in each cell (Maxwell T. Masters).

Parts used : —The leaf. Dried root and unripe fruit in diarrhœa, in decoction (Indraji.)

Use : — The dried leaves are used medicinally, being eaten at breakfast-time with rice, in cases of dysentery.

The cold infusion is also administered as a tonic in dysenteric complaints, fever, and dyspepsia (Watt).

195. C. olitorius, Linn, h.f.b.i., i. 397. Roxb. 429.

Sans. : — Nádika, patta, sing-giká.

Vern.: — (Gujrat and Porebunder) Chhûnchdo. Moti Chhûnch ; Mahâ Chanchu. Singhin janascha (H.) ; Pát, lali tapat, kashta, bhungi or banpat (B.) ; Bun-pat (Sind) ; Ban-phal (N.-W. P. and Pb.) ; Peratti-kirai (Tam.) ; Parinta (Tel.)Tánkla, Chunch; Mothi Chûnch (Bombay.)

Habitat : — Indigenous in many parts of India. Low country weed in Ceylon.

An annual herb, more or less covered with stellate pubescence. Leaves 2-4 by 1-2 in., nearly glabrous, ovate-lanceolate, 3-5-nerved, serrate, the two lower serratures prolonged into a long sharp point ; petiole 1-2 in., pilose. Stipules shorter than the petioles. Peduncles 1-3-flowered ; shorter than the petiole. Sepals small, shortly-pointed. Petals yellow, spathulate, longer than the sepals. Fruit a capsule 2 in. long, cylindric, glabrous, 10-ribbed, " 10-12-times longer than broad." (Arnold). Beak entire. Valves with transverse partitions between the seeds, beak long, erect. Cultivated as a potherb, or for its fibre (Jute). The very soft pithy wood is used for county-made sulphur-tipped matches.

Parts used: — The leaves, seeds.

Uses : — The leaves and tender shoots are eaten, and in the dried state, known as nalita ; they are used in infusion by the natives as a domestic medicine, being tonic and slightly febrifuge, and hence used as a fever drink (Watt.) According to Ainslie, the Hindoos reduce the plant to ashes and mix it with honey for administration in obstructions of the abdominal viscera.

Twining speaks favorably of an infusion of the leaves as a useful fever drink.

Mr. Atkinson says : — The leaves are emollient, and used in infusion as refrigerant in fevers and special diseases. The dried plant roasted and powdered, is used in visceral obstructions.

Dr. Kanay Lall Dey says : — The dried leaves are sold in the market. A cold infusion is used as a bitter tonic, and is devoid of any stimulating property. It can be safely given to patients recovering from acute dysentery to restore the appetite, and improve the strength. Six grains of the powder, combined with an equal quantity of curcuma longa, has been used in several instances, with much success, in acute dysentery.

In South India, the dried plant is used as a demulcent. (Bidie.)

Powder of leaves given in dysentery 5-10 grs., with an equal part of powdered turmeric. Powdered seeds with honey and ginger given in diarrhœa (Vaidya Rugnathji) — J. Indraji.

The leaves are demulcent, tonic and diuretic, useful in some cases of chronic cystitis, gonorrhœa and dysuria. (Moodeen Sheriff.)

196. C. trilocularis, Linn., h.f.b.i, i. 397, Roxb. Fl. Ind. ii. 582.

Sans. : — Kaunti.

Vern. :— Kadu Chunch (Bomb.) ; The seeds, Rája-jiren (Bomb.) ; Isbund (Sind) ; Tandassir (Kan.)

Habitat: — Sind, North-Western Provinces, from Umballa to the Punjab, Nilghiri Mountains.

An annual herb. Leaves 1-4 by 1 in. Elliptic-oblong or oblong-lanceolate, crenate-serrate, with or without basal sharp-pointed lobes ; petiole very short, pilose. Peduncles 1-3-flowered, very short, opposite the leaves. Flowers small, yellow. Capsule elongated, 3-angled ; scabrous or aculeate, straight or curved. 3-4-angled, 3-4-valved, valves scabrous, with transverse partitions, beak short, erect.

It would appear that the three varieties mentioned by Wight and Arnold (Prod. I. 72) are mere individual variations. They are : — (a) leaves ovate-oblong, capsule in pair, 3-angled ; (6) leaves ovate-oblong, capsules solitary, 4- angled ; (c) leaves oblong-lanceolate, capsules in pairs, 3-angled.

Uses : — The seeds are bitter and administered in doses of about 80 grains in fever and obstruction of the abdominal viscera (Dymock.)

The plant, macerated for a few hours in water, yields a mucilage, prescribed as a demulcent ; seeds as a specific in rheumatism (Murray.)

197. C. fascicularis, Lam. h.f.b.i, i. 398. Roxb. 429.

Sans. : — Chunchu, Kshetra Chunchu.

Vern. : — Hind — Khetapât, Bankosta — J. Indraji. Hirankhori, Mothi Bahuphali, (Bomb.) ; Jangli or ban-pât, bil-nalita (B.) ; Chhunchhadi, Ubhibahuphali, (Gujrat and Porebunder).

Habitat: — Throughout the hotter parts of India, from Banda to Bengal and the Western Peninsula, Porebunder,

An annual ' herb, erect, ramous. Leaves oblong or lanceolate, serrated ; 1-2 by ¼-½in. ; petioles very short, pilose. Peduncles 3-5-flowered, opposite to the leaves. Flowers yellow, subsessile fascicles, sub-pentandrous. Sepals 1/12 in. Stamens about 5 (W. and A). " 5-10 " says Max-well T. Masters (H. F. B I.). Capsules linear-oblong, or cylindric, 4-6 times longer than broad, nearly terete, villous, rostrate, with three terminal points, 3-celled, 3-valved. Seeds numerous ; transverse septa nearly obsolete.

Use : — It is very mucilaginous and somewhat astringent, and is valued as a restorative (Dymock.)

In Bombay, a watery extract, mixed with sugar-candy, is taken as a nutritive tonic. It is also given in seminal weakness (S. Arjun), but with doubtful success — K. K. Kirtikar.

198. C. antichorus, Raesch, h.f.b.i, i. 398.

Vern. : — Bahuphalli, kúrand, bophalli, bahúphalli, babuna (Pb.) ; Moodheeree (Sind) ; Baphuli (H.) (J. Indraji):--(Porebunder and Gujrat) Chhikni, Chhunchh ; Bethi-Bahuphali ; Bahuphali. (Marâthi) Bahuphali.

Habitat : — North- West India, from Sindh and the Punjab to Agra, Western Peninsula, in Kathiawar, Guzerat and the Deccan.

A perennial herb, woody 6-9 in., prostrate, much-branched from the base ; branches prostrate, tortuous, imbricate 6-7in. Leaves ½-¾ by ¼-½in., roundish, usually wrinkled, plicate, crenate-serrate, glabrous, the serratures not appendaged, base rounded or cuneate ; 3-nerved. Petioles ½-1in. long, very slender ; stipules subulate. Cymes leaf-opposed. Peduncles short, stout ; bracts lanceolate, subulate ; pedicels very short. Sepals 3/16 in. long, linear-oblong, apiculate. Petals longer than the sepals ; oblong-ovate. Capsules ⅜-⅝ in. long, cylindric, elongate, beaked, glabrous, often curved upwards, generally straight, 4-valved.

Part used : — The whole plant.

Uses. — The plant is rubbed down and given as a cooling medicine. Leaves are emollient. The plant has tonic properties as a whole.

Infusion used as a fever drink (Stewart.)

Very mucilaginous, mucilage demulcent, and used in Sindh for gonorrhœa (Murray). A decoction of seeds with milk and sugar as a tonic. Dose of powdered plant ½— 1 tola.

The seeds of Corchorus fascicularis are mucilaginous, sweet, non-toxic, and edible; those of C. Olitorius, are purgative; those of C. Capsularis C. bengalensis, C. acutangulus, C. argutus and C. trilocularis contain fat; and the last three, besides a green fluorescent body, a toxic glucoside, the corchorim of Tunno and W. Friboes. Corchorin is intensely bitter, readily solublo in water and in alcohol, but insoluble in ether, chloroform, and henzene, so that it cannot be isolated by shaking out with the last-named liquids. It is very slightly precipatated by neutral lead acetate, but is thrown down by ammonical lead acetate. It gives a bluish green colour with strong sulphuric acid. It is removed from strong aqueous solutions by means of ammonium sulphate. Corchorin is hydrolysed by boiling with dilute mineral acids, forming a sugar and a decomposition product, which is insoluble in neutral and acid aqueous solvents but soluble in alcohol. It is very poisonous, being allied to the digitalis glucosides.

(J.Ch-I. 30. 4. 1907 pp. 430-431).

N. 0. LINEÆ

199. Linum usitatissimum, Linn. H.F.B.I., i. 410. Roxb. 277.

Sans, : — Atasi, Masrinâ,

Vern. : — Alsi, tisi (H.) ; Tisi masinâ (B.) ; Alsi-virai (Tam) Atasi (Tel.); Pesu (Uriya) ; Alasi (Porebundar and Gujrat) : Javas ; (Marathi) Alashi.

Habitat : — Cultivated throughout India, Ceylon, Western Himalayas.

PLATE No. 155.