898 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS.
with black pepper, in rheumatism. The leaves are also applied locally, to relieve pain (B. D. Basu). A decoction of the plant is used in cases of gonorrhoea.
' The bud and flower, with salt (solution) good for watery eyes (J. J. Wood's Plants of G India "Nagpur, p. 122).
The fruit of this plant were found on analysis to have a similar composition to those of the S. indicum, except that in this case the fruits were examined in a fresh condition, and the solanine reactions of the alkaloid and the almost entire absence of ammonia were noticed. The dried leaves left 20*74 per cent, of ash when burnt, and contained traces of an alkaloid, and an astringent organic acid giving a green precipitate with ferric salts. (Pharma- cographia Indica II, 559.)
861. S. trilobatum, Linn, h.f.b.i., iv. 236; Roxb. 192.
Sans. : — Alarka.
Vern. : — Toodavullay (Tarn.) ; Moond-la-moosteh ; Oochinta kura (Tel.) : Motaringani inula (M.) ; Nabhi-ankuri (Uriya).
Habitat : — W. Deccan Peninsula ; from the Concan south- wards and frequent, every common on waste ground, in dry regions.
A small under-shrub, subscandent by its numerous hooked prickles. Stems 6-12ft., slender, with long divaricate branches, with a few stellate hairs on the young shoots, otherwise nearly glabrous, provided with many flattened, hooked, decurved, very sharp prickles. Leaves f-ljin., irregularly 3-5-lobed, rotund, ovate or ovate elliptic in outline, obtuse, glabrous, often with 2 or 3 small curved prickles in the midrib; base not cordate. Petiole as long as the leaf or half as long, prickly. Peduncles short, mostly extra-axillary short, 1-3-fid, pedicels J-lJin., with very strong, short, recurved prickles. Flowers large, on long divaricate or rehexed glabrous pedicels, says Trimen, rich violet- purple. Cymes racemose, short, 3-9-flowered, nearly sessile, Calyx small, slightly stellate, hairy, segments lanceolate acute, hardly elongate in fruit. Corolla 1^-1 Jin. diam., stellate pube- scent without, lobes very deep, oblong oval, obtuse, usually reflexed. Berry fin., smooth, scarlet, globose, much exceeding the Calyx-lobes. Seeds fin., smooth, or very nearly so. Berries edible.
