884 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS.
847. I. biloba, Forsk h.f.bj., iv. 212.
Syn. : — Convolvulus Pes-Caprce, Linn. ; C. bilobatus, Roxh. 163.
Vern : — Dopati-lata (H.) ; Chhagulkaru (B.) ; Marjadvel (Bomb.) ; Balabandi tige, Cbevulapilli tige (Tel.) ; Kansarinata (Uriya).
Habitat :■ — Throughout India ; abundant near the sea.
An extensively creeping and twining sea-shore sand plant, glabrous. Leaves orbicular, obtuse, emarginate, or 2-lobed l-4in., often broader than long, fleshy, prominent-nerved ; petiole l-4in. Peduncle l-4in. 1-3-fid ; bracts Jin., lanceolate, caducous. Pedicels often more than one. Corolla 2in., purple, tubular, funnel-shaped, glabrous, margin scarcely lobed. Ovary 2-celled, not imperfectly 4-celled. Capsule iin., ovoid, glabrous. Seeds villous.
Uses' — The leaves are applied externally in rheumatism
and colic. The root contains starch. The juice is given as a
diuretic in dropsy and at the same time the bruised leaves are
applied to the dropsical part. (Dymock.)
The powdered roots, dried at a low temperature, were exhausted with 80 per cent, alcohol : the tincture exhibited a slight greenish yellow fluorescence. The tincture was freed from alcohol by spontaneous eva- poration,, and the extract mixed with water, acidulated with sulphuric acid and agitated with benzole. During agitation, a brownish soft resin separated ; this resin was insoluble also in ether, but dissolved in alka- lies with a dark yellowish brown coloratiou, and was precipitated by acid in brown flocks. The benzole solution left on spontaneous evaporation a viscid transparent residue of the colour and consistence of Venice turpen- tine, which possessed a slight odour of peppermint. This extract was soluble in absolute alcohol with greenish yellow fluorescence and was neutral in reaction : it was also soluble in ether, with similar fluorescence. The alcoholic solution gave with ferric chloride a dirty greenish precipitate. In cold 5 per cent, caustic soda it was insoluble, but on boiling it dissolved with some difficulty, affording a dark yellowish solution, while an odour not unlike that of aniseed was noticed. The cold caustic soda solution on agita- tation with ether afforded a small amount of yellowish white oily extractive with an odour of aniseed. The caustic soda solution on the addition of dilute acids afforded a yellowish precipitate. The original acid aqueous solution was next agitated with ether. The extractive was small in amount, partly in the form of a transparent varnish adhering to the sides of the capsule, and partly in indistinct whitish crystals. Heated with water, a portion
