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