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