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COMPOS1TAE
14. Spilaothes paniculata Wall, ex DC. Prodr. Syst. Nat. Reg. Veg. 5: 625. 1836. (Fig. 132).
Spilanthes acmella (Linn.) Murr.—Spilanthes calva Wight—Spilanthes lobata Blanco— Verbesina
acmella Linn.— Verbesina pseudo-acmella Linn.—Acmella linnaea Cass.
Sinh. Akmella; Tarn. Akkirakaram; Sans. Aggimala, Agragandha, Nadekanta,
Nandikantha.
An annual with a prostrate or ascending, much branched, cylindrical, more or less hairy
Stem; leaves simple, opposite, without stipules, 2.5—4.5 cm long, 2—4 cm broad, ovate,
suddenly tapering at the base, acute, faintly and irregularly serrate, glabrous above, scantily
pubescent along veins beneath, thin, somewhat 3-veined; petioles 0.8—2 cm long, slender,
pilose; flowers very small, yellow, ray florets absent, bisexual Rowers regular on heads
apparently terminal but really axillary, surrounded by an involucre of reddish brown bracts,
on long glabrous peduncles 3.5—6 cm long; bracts membranous, 4 mm long, lanceolate, keeled,
subacute, pilose outside; calyx absent; petals 5, fused, tubular, valvate, somewhat inflated in the
middle, 2 mm long,- lobes triangular; stamens 5, inserted on the corolla-tube, filaments free,
anthers connate into a tube round the style, bases shortly pointed; ovary inferior, 2—2.5 mm
long, 2-carpellary, unilocular with a solitary erect ovule at the base, style branches short, truncate,
bifid; fruit a compressed, 2-edged, glabrous, oblong, dark brown, dull achene without a pappus.
Flowers throughout the year.
Illustrations. Wight, Ic. PI. Ind. Orient, pi. 1109. 1846; Kirtikar and Basu, Indian Med.
Plants, pi. 532. 1933; Herb. Peradeniya drawing.
Distribution. Occurs throughout India, Ceylon and other tropical countries. In Ceylon,
it is common in moist places up to 6000 feet attitude. Ramboda. Hantane. etc.
India. Bengal: J. D. Hooker and T. Thomson. Assam: Simons; Naga Hills, Prain\
July 1886. Pen. Ind. Or. Herb. Wight 1607, Kew Distribution 1866—7. Ceylon, without locality,
Thwaites CP. 684. Indo-Cbina. Hue and Vicinity, Squires 32: Squires 187, Jan.—May 1927.
Sumatra. Burmemeyer 3672, July 1918.
Composition. The plant contains an alkaloid and probably spilanthol, an active principle
found in the Japanese form.
Uses. The flower heads are chewed for toothache and the powdered leaves are rubbed
on the lips "and gums for sore-mouth in children. It is an insecticide as well. The oil prepared
from mature leaves with gingelly oil is used on burns and scalds. Internally, the plant acts as
an aromatic stomachic ar.d expectorant and* is useful in chronic dyspepsia and bronchitis. In
Indo-China, a decoction of the plant is given for dysentery while in the Philippines,, a decoction
of the root is used as a purgative. An infusion of the root given internally has a diuretic effect
and is reputed to be a solvent of vesical calculi. It is also used locally against itching and psoriasis.
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