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U Euphoribta Ihymifolia Linn. Sp. Pi. 454. 1753. (Fig. 201).
EUPHORBIACEAE
Euphorbia burmanniana J.Gray—Euphorbia prostata Gran.—Euphorbia rubicunda Bl.—
Euphorbia foliata Hamilt.—Euphorbia maculata Auld.—Anisophyllum thymifolium Klotzsch and
Gareke—Anisophyllum burmannianum Kiozsch and Gareke
Sinh. Bindadakiriya; Tarn. Chinamampatchaiyausi, Sittrapaladi, Chittirapalavi; Hindi
Chhotidudhi, Chothadudhi; Sans. Laghudugdhika, Raktavindachada.
A small, annual herb with depressed-prostrate, cylindrical, divaricately branched, hairy
stems; leaves simple, opposite, very small, 0.4—0.8 cm long, 2.5—4 mm broad, oblong—
oval, rounded and very oblique at the base, rounded at apex, dentate—serrate, glabrous above,
glaucous and slightly hairy beneath; petioles very short; stipules minute, fimbriate; flower
heads very small, sessile, 1—3 in an axil; flowers unisexual, pinkish, monoecious, small without
a perianth, one female and many males arranged in a common perianth-like, hairy, companulate
involucre without or with very minute glands at the mouth, lobes very short; male flower consisting
of a single pedicelled stamen and the female a single superior ovary, all together in the
involucre, ovary 3-locular with a single ovule in each chamber, styles 3, short, 2-f td.; fruit capsule
1.5 mm long, pubescent, of 3 cocci separating from a central axis, each obtusely keeled; seeds
1.2 mm long, quadrangular with 5 or 6 transverse furrows.
Flowers all the year round.
Illustrations. Burmann, Thes. Zeyl. pi. 105, f. 2. 1737; Kiriikar and Basu, Indian Med.
Plants, pi. 847. 1933.
Distribution. Occurs throughout India, Ceylon and in all other tropical countries, except
N. Australia. It is a common weed in waste and cultivated ground in Ceylon. Kalutara,
Haragama, etc.
India. Maisor and Carnatic, G. Thomson. Ceylon. Thwaites CP. 2128 Central Prov.,
Peradeniya Herb. Peradeniya, April 1895; Bot. Gard., Jayaweera 2251, May 1957; Jayaweera
2255, Nov. 1955; Jayaweera 606, April 1953. Maldive Islands. Veimandu, Gardiner, 1899—1900.
Composition. Contains a crystalline alkaloid principle, allied toquercetin.
Uses. The leaves are employed as a poultice to counteract the effects of bites
of poisonous snakes. The expressed juice of the plant is given with wine for the same purpose.
In La Reunion and Java, it is used as an astringent ford'arrhoea and dysentery. A decoction of
the root is given for amenorrhoea. The leaves and seeds are given in powderform for worms
and bowel complaints in children. The latex is a cure for ringworm. Burkill says that poultices
of leaves are applied over dislocated joints and skin complaints. In North India it is considered
a stimulant and laxative.
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