Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/268

Syn. : — Plectranthus strobiliferus, Roxb. 466.

Sans. : — Utpalabheda, ajapâda, induparni.

Vern. :— Panjírí-ká-pát, Sitá-ki-panjíri (Hindi) ; Ajvân-ká- pattá, Pánjírí (Dec); Karppúra-valli (Tam.); Pânajiren, Kápurlí, chora-onvá (Mar.) ; Karpúra-valli (Tel.) ; Chómarú (Mal.) ; Dodda-patri, kuruvelu-balli (Kan.); Kattukúrkká, kurkká, patu-kúrkká (Mal.) ; Omamu-áku, róga-chettu (Tel.); Ajmánu-pátru, ajamá (Guz.).

Habitat : — Western Himalaya ; Kumaon and Garwhal, and throughout Central and Southern India to Travancore.

An erect annual, 1-2 ft. high. Stem stout, bluntly 4-angled, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, often tinged with red. Leaves rather fleshy, 1-2½in long, broadly ovate, obtuse, crenate, rounded or subcordate at the base, usually hairy beneath, petioles ½-1½ in. long. Spikes ½-1½in. long, 4-gonous in flower and becoming cylindrical in fruit, peduncles slender ; bracts ⅛ in. long, ovate, acuminate, ciliate, glandular. Calyx pubescent, 1/5in. long, enlarging in fruit ; upper lip ovate-lanceolate, acute, ciliolate, bending over the lower lip and closing the mouth of the calyx when in fruit ; lower lip truncate, its membranous ciliate tip reflexed and appressed against the tube. Corolla pale-purple, ⅜in. long, hairy outside ; upper lip short, erect, with shallow lobes. Nutlets suborbicular, compressed, polished and brown when ripe.

Uses : — Ainslie says that the fresh juice of the leaves mixed with sugar-candy is given by the Tamil doctors in Cynanche, and, mixed with sugar and gingelly-oil, is used as a cooling liniment for the head.

Dr. Bidie characterises it as a mild stimulant, expectorant, and particularly useful in the cough of childhood. Its properties depend upon a* volatile oil (Ph. Ind.)