,r\/*> - National Science Foundation

2. Bryouop*;*. laciniosa (Linn.) Naud. in Ann. Sc. Nat. ser. 5: 30. 1866. (Fig. 160).
CUCURB1TACEAE
Bryonia laciniosa Linn.— Bryonopsis courtallensis Arn.—Bryonopsis vrythrocarpa Naud.—
Bryonopxis laciniosa Hook. i'.—Cucumis verrucosus Herb. Rotller.
Sinh. BasuagiNi; Hindi Gargumaru, ishwaralmgi, Shivalingi; Sans. Apastambhinii
Uahupalra, Bakapushpa, Chandra. Chilraphulu, Devi. Ishwari, Lingaja, Lingasanibhuta, Lingi.
Lingini. Pandeli. Shaivamallika. Shivaja, ShivavalH, Svayambhu, Tuttiiini.
Perennial tendril climber with a large, tuberous root and very slender, glabrous, often
spotted, dark green stems and long internodes, tendrils bifid; leaves simple, alternate,
membranous, 7.5—12.5cm long and about as broad, ovate—rotundate in outline, very deeply
cordate at base, cut nearly to base into 5 lanceolate or linear, acute, coarsely serrate segments,
the two basal ones deeply pedate. glabrous thin, the upper surface slightly rough with minute
scattered scales; petioles 2.5—3.7 cm long, striate, slender; flowers regular, very pale yellow,
unisexual, male flowers in small fascicle? of 3—6. females solitary or few also in clusters in the
same axils; sepals 5, fused into a cup-shaped calyx, segments linear, filiform, glabrous; petals
5. fused to about i way up, segments oval-oblong, acute, pubescent; male flowers: stamens 3,
quite distinct, cells sigmoid; female rlowers: ovary inferior, globose, glabrous, style slender,
3-fid; fruit giobose, subsessile, I .8—2.5 cm diameter, smooth, bluish green with broad white
icrtical stripes; seeds 5--6 mm long, gibbous at the sides with a prominent raised band running
round the edge.
Flowers from August to October.
Illustrations. Wight. Ic. PI. Ind. Orient 2: pi. 500. 1840—43: Kirtikar and Basu. Indian
Med. Plants,/?/. 464. 1933; Herb. Peradeniya, drawing.
Distribution. Occurs throughout India, Ceylon, Malaya, tropical Africa. Australia and
Philippine Islands. In Ceylon it is common in moist and dry country up to 6000 feet altitude.
India. Bengal: J. D. Hooker and T. Thomson; Calcutta, Wallich 6699C; Wallich 6699 F.
Ceylon. North Central Prov., Mahaillupalama, Herb. Peradeniya, March 1905; Polonnaruwa
Alston 575, May 1927. Central Prov., Peradeniya Bot. Gard., Alston 2205. June 1928. Uva
Prov., Ella, Herb. Peradeniya, Sept. 1896. Philippine Islands. Mindanao, DavaoProv , Mt Apo,
Clemens 15663, June 1924.
Composition. The fruits and leaves contain an alkaloid.
Uses. This plant is bitter and aperient. It possesses tonic properties and used as a
cathartic. The leaves are applied topically on inflammations.
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