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23. Putran]lva roxburghii Wall., Tent. Fl. Nep. 61. 1826. (Fig. 213).
EUPHORBIACEAE
Putranjiva sphaerocarpa Muell.-Arg.-Putranjiva amblyocarpa Muell.-Arg.—Negeia putranjiva
Roxb.
Tarn. Irukolli, Karupali, Karuppilai, Karippalai, Vitchurunai; Hindi Jiaputa,
Jivputrak, Joti, Juti, Patigia, Patji, Putajan, Putijia, Putrajiva, Putranjiva; Sans. Ardhasadhaka,
Apatyajiva, Garbhada, Garbhakara, Jivanaputra, Kumarajiva, Mavu, Pavitra, Putrajiva,
Putranjiva, Shlipadapaha, Sid hi da, Sutajivaka, Sutrajiva, Yashtipushpa.
A moderate-sized tree with pendant branches and whitish bark; buds pubescent; leaves
simple, alternate, coriaceous, dark green and shining, 6.2—10 cm long, 2.2—3.8 cm broad,
oval or lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, shortly acuminate, acute, unequal at base, faintly serrate,
glabrous; flowers regular, unisexual, green, apetalous, dioecious; male flowers: sessile,
crowded in rounded clusters on very short axillary peduncles; sepals 4 or 5, oblong, imbricate,
2.S mm long, ciliolate,.disc absent; stamens 2 or 3, distinct, filaments short, anthers globose;
female flowers: solitary or in pairs; sepals 5 or 6, generally 5,'elliptic, obtuse, concave, ciliolate;
disc absent; ovary superior, flask-shaped, finely silky, 3-locular with two ovules in each loculus;
styles 3, recurved, dilated into broad fleshy crescent-shaped stigmas; fruit a drupe about 1.2 cm
long, globose, not pointed, pale green, densely, finely tomentose, stone very hard.
Flowers during February.
Illustrations. Wight Ic. PI. Ind. Orient, pi. 1876. 1852; Beddome, Flor. Sylvat. pi. 275-
JS68—73; Kirtikar and Basu, Indian Med. Plants, pi. 864. 1933; Herb. Peradeniya,
drawing; Worthington, Ceylon Trees, pi. 373. 1959.
Distribution. Occurs throughout tropical India, Ceylon and Burma. It is rare in Ceylon
confined to the dry regions. Minneriya, Minipe, Kalkudah, Haragama, Kundasale, etc.
India. Silhet: Wallich 6814B; Wallich 6814D, 1820; Siwalik and Jaansar Div.,
Samanasena 112, Oct. 1921. Malabar, Concan, etc., Stocks, Law, etc. Ceylon. Thwaites CP.
2122. Eastern Prov., Kalkudah, Rest House compound, Worthington 1051, Aug. 1940.
Uses. The leaves and fruits are given in the form of a decoction for colds and fevers.
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