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11. Ipomoea nil (Linn!) Roth. Cat alec a Botan., I: 36. 1797. (Fig. 150).<br />
CONVOLVULACEAE<br />
Convolvulus nil Linn.—Convolvulus hederaceus Linn.—Convolvulus di/lenii Lamk.—Convolvulus<br />
coerufeus Spreng.—Convolvulus triloba Moench.—Ipomoea coerulea Koen.—Ipomoea punctata<br />
Pers.—Ipomtfca barbate Roth.—Ipomoea dillenii Roem. and Schult.—Ipomoea hederacea (Linn./<br />
Jacq.—Pharbitis hederacea Choisy—Pharbitis nil Choisy—Pharbitt's diversifolia Lindl.—Pharbitis<br />
variifolia Dene.—Pharbitis purs/iii G Don—Pharbitis punctata. G. Don—Pharbitis barbata<br />
G. Don.<br />
Engl. Indian Jalap: Sinh. Kaladana; Tarn. Kakkattan, Kodikkakkaltan, Sirikki..<br />
Tali; Hindi Kaladanah", Mirchai; Sans. Krishnabija, Shyamabija, Shyamalabijaka.<br />
• • '" s<br />
An annual herb with .slender, twining, hirsute stems; leaves simple, alternate on very<br />
long, hairy stalks without stipules, 5—8 cm long, 4.5—8 cm broad, cordate at base, more or<br />
less deeply cut into 3 acute lobes, middle lobe the largest, margin entire, slightly hairy on both<br />
sides especially on veins beneath, petioles I .5—9 cm long; flowers regular, bisexual, large on<br />
short, stout pedicels, usually solitary but often in threes, bracts linear, persistent, peduncle<br />
3.5—6 cm long, hairy; sepals 5. free, imbricate, 2.5—2.8 cm long, linear, dilated below, acute,<br />
hairy outside but glabrous inside: petals 5, fused into a tubular funnel-shaped corolla limb<br />
about 5 cm diameter, pate blue or pink; stamens 5, unequal on corolla-tube, filaments included,<br />
hairy at base; ovary superior, surrounded by a small entire annular disc, 3-locular with two<br />
ovules in each.loculus, style simple, thickened at the base, stigmas 2-lobed, globose; fruit capsule<br />
1.2 cm diameter, dehiscent, surrounded by much longer enlarged sepals, globose, 3-valved;<br />
seeds 6, each about 0.6 cm long, ovoid—triangular, glabrous and dull black.<br />
Flowers from January to May.<br />
Illustrations. Bentley and Trimen, Med Plants, pi. 185. 1880; Kirtikar and Basu,<br />
Indian Med. Plants, pi. 661. 1933.<br />
Distribution. Occurs in all the tropical and subtropical countries including India, Ceylon<br />
and Philippine Islands. In Ceylon, it is found commonly in the tow .country, mostly cultivated.<br />
Jaffna, Polonnaruwa, Mannar, Peradeniya, etc.<br />
India. Sup. Ganget. Plan., T. Thomson. Pen. Ind. Or., Herb. Wight 1969, Kew Distribution<br />
1866—8. Ceylon. Thwaites CP. 1938. Northern Prov., Mannar, Simpson 9326. Central<br />
Prov., Nalanda, Alston 2455, May 1928; Peradeniya, Bot. Gardens, Alston 1303. Sept 1926.<br />
Burma. Mokin 582, Nov. 1902. Pegu, Wallich 1373/2.<br />
Composition. Contains a resin which has a nauseous, acrid taste and unpleasant odour.<br />
Uses. In many parts of India, the roasted seeds are used as a purgative. In China, the<br />
seeds are regarded as diuretic, anthelmintic and deobstruent. Thev are prescribed for dropsy<br />
and constipation and also to cause abortion.<br />
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