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2- Bridelia retusa (Linn.) Spreng. Syst. Vcg. 3 48 1926. (Fig. 192).
EUPHORBIACEAE
Brtdeha amoena Wall, ex Bail!.—Bridelia momana Wall.—Bridelia spinosa Roxb.—Cluylia
retusa Linn.—Cluytia spinosa Willd.
Sinh. Ketakala; Tarn. Adamarudu. Asuvai, Kadugai, Komanjr, Malai-vengai,
Mullumarudu, MuIIuvengai. Mulvengai, Mulvenkai, Sem, Singattan, Siruvengai; Hindi Gauli,
Kaj, Kajja, Kassi, Khaja; Sans. Asana, Ekadivi, Ekavira, Mahavira, Sakridvird, Suvarika.
A small tree with a smooth, pale yellowish-grey bark and rusty—pubescent young twjgs;;
leaves simple, alternate, numerous, 8.7—11.2 cm long, oblong—oval, usually rounded at hase;
very obtuse or rounded at apex often emarginate, entire; lateral veins 16—20 pairs, strong,
parallel, uniting with a transparent marginal vein and connected by numerous fine transverse
veinlets, glabrous and bright green above, whitish with minute pubescence beneath* rather thick;
petioles short, stout, finely pubescent; stipules lanceolate with a broad base, very acuminate,
pubescent, deciduous; flowers regular, unisexual, green tinged with red with a purple disc,
monoecious (or dioecious) on very short pedicels in small dense clusters on spicate or rarely
branched,axillary inflorescences exceeding the leaves; male flowers: 4 mm.'diameter; sepals
5, valvate, narrowly triangular, acute, spreading; petals 5, inserted on the calyX, much smaller,
deeply pectinate, disc conspicuous, annular, thick and pulpy; stamens 5, filaments united below
into a column, distinct and spreading above, pistillode terminating the column; female flowers:
smaller, calyx as in male; petals 5, persistent, spathulate, acute, not pectinate; disc truncate
tubular enclosing the ovary; ovary superior, 2-locular with two ovules in each chamber, styles
2, short and forked; fruit a drupe with 2 one-seeded pyrenes on persistent calyx and petals, about
8 mm diameter, globose, slightly pulpy and purplish-black.
Flowers during June and July.
Illustrations. Beddome, Flor. Sylvat. pi. 260. 1869—73; Roxburgh, PI. Corom. 2: pi. 172.
1798; Kirtikarand Basu, Indian Med. Plants, pi. 854. 1933; Herb. Peradeniya, drawing.
Distribution. Grows in the warmer parts of India, Ceylon, Burma and Malacca. It is
common in the moist, low-country up to 2000 feet altitude.
India. Sikkim:y. D. Hooker. Khasia:./. D. Hooker andT. Thomson. East Bengal: Herb.
Griffith 4887, Kew Distribution 1864; Assam: Simons. Bombay: Gibson. Siwalik and Jaunsar:
Hassan 165, 1921. Malabar, Concan,etc. Stock, Law,etc. Pen. Ind. Orient. Herb. Wight 2602
Kew Distribution 1866—8. Ceylon. Central Prov., Peradeniya, Bot. Gard., cultivated, Jaya*eera
1150, May 1954. Thwaites C.P. 2161, Western Prov., Mirigama. Alston 676. June (927;
Middeniya, Alston 1348, March 1927. Uva Prov., Lunugala, Herb. Peradeniva., Ja>- X88.
Burma. Prazer.
Uses. The root and bark are valuable astringents, the latter being used as a liniment
with gingelly oil for rheumatism.
193