Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/599

Vern. : — Kanta-kochû (B.) ; Kanta saru (Santali) ; Mulasari, kanta-kachoramu (Tel.).

Habitat.— Found from Tropical Sikkim Himalaya, Assam, Bengal, Burma, Singapore. Rather common in low moist country in Ceylon. Not in Peninsular India, (K. R. K.).

Root-stock creeping, lin. diam. Leaves 6-18in. long, rigidly coriaceous, young hastate or sagittate, old pinnatifid, segments lanceolate, acuminate, smooth above, beneath costate, and strongly penniveined, mid-rib and veins naked or spinous beneath. Petiole 2-4ft., terete, base sheathing. Spathe 8-14in., spirally twisted above the spadix, about as thick as the little finger, acute, green or yellowish, margins very dark-purple except at the base, open at base only when the pollen is being discharged, closing afterwards. Spadix about lin., claret coloured, fruiting 4-5in., and lin. diam. Flowers sessile, perianth-segments 4-5, concave, dorsally hooded, dull pink ; filaments very broad, anther-cells oblong, divaricate below; ovary short, columnar, green, stigma large, sessile, pulvinate, pink. Fruit an oblong or capitate syncarp 2in. diam., of muricate berries, ½in. diam. Root-stock eaten in famine times. (Trimen.)

Uses :— The root is highly esteemed by the Santals as a remedy for affections of the throat. (Campbell.)

The leaves and roots are also used medicinally by the Singhalese.

Sans. : — Vâcha (talking), shadgrantha (six-knotted), ugragandha (strong-smelling), jatila (having entangled hair).

Vern. : — Bach, gor bach (H.) ; Bach (B.) ; Gandilovaj, goda vaj (Guz.) ; Vekhand (Mar.) ; Bariboj ; warch (Pb.) ; Vashambu (Tam.); Vasa, wasa, wadaja (Tel.) ; Vashampa(Mal.) ; Baje(Kan.)