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34. CRASSULACEAE<br />
1. Kalanchoe laciniata DC. Succ. PI. and Grass. 2: pi 100. 1799. (Fig. 155).<br />
Kalanchoe teretifolia Haw.—Cotyledon laciniata Linn.—Cotyledon serrata Blanco—Cotyledon<br />
lanceolate Manco—Bryophyllum serratum Blanco—Bryophyllum triangulare Blanco.<br />
Sinh. Akkapana; Tarn. Malakalli; Hindi Hamsagar; Sans. Asthibhaksha, Hemasagara,<br />
Parnaviji.<br />
A large, glabrous, succulent herb, 0-9—1.2 m tall, stems stout, slightly branched, pale<br />
glaucous green; leaves opposite, numerous without stipules, large, very succulent, 7.5—10cm<br />
long, very variable, the lowest deeply divided, segments narrow—oblong, acute, dentate, serrate<br />
or crenate, middle leaves more or less deeply pinnatifid and the uppermost ones with narrow<br />
almost cylindrical segments, all shining, pale, glaucous green; petioles flattened, fleshy,<br />
amplexicaul, 2.5—3.8 cm long; flowers regular, bisexual, rather large, bright chrome yellow<br />
in large, lax, paniculate cymes, pedicels glabrous, bracts linear; sepals 4, very slightly connate<br />
at base, glabrous or pubescent, 3—5 mm long, narrowly lanceolate, acute, somewhat spreading;<br />
petals 4, fused to form an inflated corolla - tube 1.3 cm long, segments 3 mm long, oval or<br />
lanceolate, acute; stamens 8, inserted in two rows on the tube of the corolla; ovary superior,<br />
4-carpeIIary, slightly adnate to the base of the corolla, carpels distinct, each with a linear hypogynous<br />
scale at the base, style long; fruit of 4 follicles, 8 mm long, glabrous, seeds numerous.<br />
Flowers from March to May.<br />
Illustrations. Wight, Ic. PI. Ind. Orient. 4: pi 1158. 1846; Haworth in Wall. PI. As.<br />
Rar. 2: pi 166. 1831; Kirtikar and Basu, Indian Med. Plants, pi 406. 1933.<br />
Distribution. Grows in India, Burma, Ceylon, Java and tropical Africa. It is rare in<br />
Ceylon, mostly confined to the lower montane zone; Matale East, Kandy, etc.<br />
India. Madras: Cleghorn 212. Pen. Ind. Or., Herb. Wight 957, Kew Distribution 1866—7.<br />
Ceylon. Central Prov., Peradeniya, Bot. Gard., cultivated, Herb. Peradeniya. Feb. 1901.<br />
Burma. Jungai, Mocktn 844, Dec. 1902.<br />
Composition. The leaves contain a yellow organic acid, cream pf tartar, sulphate and<br />
oxalate of calcium, tartaric acid, fat and malic acid.<br />
Uses. The leaves and roots are used for the treatment of urinary diseases. The juice of<br />
the leaves is given for diarrhoea, dysentery, lithiasis, cholera and phthisis. The ground leaves are<br />
applied to chronic sores and ulcers. In Malaya, a poultice of the leaves is applied to the chest<br />
for coughs and colds. The juice of the roasted leaves is applied to bruises and contusions. In<br />
Central Africa, the leaf is applied to give relief from itch. A curry made from the leaves, helps<br />
to dissolve stones in the bladder.<br />
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