Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/503

2 sub-orbiant, obovate lobes, about half way down ; anther-crest quadrate, shallowly bifid.

Use : — The people of Bengal use the roots as a medicine for their cattle. (Roxburgh.)

Sans. : — Bhûmichampaka.

Vern. : — Bhuichampa (H. & B.) ; Bhuichampo (Guz.) ; Konda kalava (Tel.) ; Malan-kua (Mal.).

Habitat : — Throughout India.

An annual, rootstock tuberous, outside yellowish-brown, inside yellowish-white ; rootlets white, numerous, 2 or 3in. long, bearing fascicles of numerous, oblong bulbs, l-2in. long. Bulbs glabrous, mucilaginous inside. Leaves radical, oblong, erect, petioled, 1ft. by 4-6in., rich, purple beneath, green above Petiole sheathing. Spikes 4-6-fid, produced in March and April before the leaves. Flowers erect, scapose, 4-6 to the scape, fragrant, large, of various colours, white, pink, yellow and purple, harmoniously blended in one and the same flower. Bracts oblong, acute, outer short, inner 2-3in. long. Calyx nearly as long as the corolla-tube, white, membranous, somewhat gibbous ; apex generally two-toothed and of a dotted purplish colour. Corolla tube 2-3in. ; segments spreading, long, linear, nearly as long as tube. Staminodes l½-2in., oblong, erect, white. Lip rather shorter, reflexed, 2-fid, to below the middle lobes ¾-1 in. broad, deeply tinged with lilac or red-purple, cut into two sub-orbicular lobes. Anther-crest deeply bifid, cut half way down into two lanceolate lobes, with often a small tooth between. (J. G. Baker.)

Uses'- — According to Sanskrit writers the root, used in the form of a poultice, promotes suppuration. (U. C. Dutt.) Rheede informs us (Hort. Mal., II., 18) that the whole plant, when reduced to powder and used in the form of an ointment, has wonderful efficacy in healing fresh wounds, and that, taken internally, it removes any coagulated blood or purulent matter that may be within the body ; he adds that " the root is a useful medicine in anasarcous swellings." Dr.