At the 2nd Australasian Medical Congress, held at Melbourne, in January 1889, Surgeon-Major K. R. Kirtikar exhibited a specimen of oil obtained from the seeds of Cleome viscosa, Linn, (prepared by the late Mr. Periera of the Bombay Medical Stores), and made the following observations on the occasion. "The plant has a great reputation as a remedy for chronic Otorrhoea. The action is chiefly antiseptic, as it contains a powerful volatile principle, not unlike in smell to that of mustard. This active principle has, besides, stimulating properties."
87. Gynandropsis pentaphylla, DC h.f.b.i., i. 171.
Syn.:—Cleome pentaphyla, Linn.; Roxb. 500, 501.
Sans.:—Surjâvarta; Arkapushpikâ.
Vern.:—Hûrhûr, hulhul, karaila, churota (H.); Harhuriya Kánálá, bansarishá, arkahuli, Sádáhurhidiá (B.); Setakata arak, Guma (Santal.); kathal parhar (U. P.); Halhal (Dec); kinro, (Sind), Tilavana, mâbli (Mar.): velai, neivaylla, kadughu (Tam.); Váminta, vela-kura, (Tel.); tai-vélá, kara-velá, vélá (Malay.)
Habitat:—A common weed throughout the warm parts of India. Very common in Ceylon in waste and cultivated ground.
An erect, branched annual 2-4 ft. Stem shaggy with long, white, spreading hair. Leaves 5-foliate, leaflets sessile, broadly ovate, acute, entire, pubescent on both sides and ciliate, pale beneath, terminal largest, 1½-2 in.; petiole 2 in., stout, hairy and rough with prickles; flowers at first distinctly corymbose, afterwards in long erect racemes, bracts of 3 sessile leaflets, many empty. Pedicels over ½ in., viscoid, pubescent; sepals narrowly lanceolate, acute gladular-pubescent; petals rotundate, with a long narrow claw thrice the length of sepals, all curved upward; stamens inserted about half-way up; ovary on summit of a gynophore, linear-oblong, very glandular; style 0, stigma capitate, flat; ovules numerous; pods 2-3 in., linear, slightly curved, somewhat compressed, viscid, pubescent. Seeds helicoid-reniform, rough, dark brown (Trimen).
