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LYCOPODIUM clavatum.

218

FOOD. Fruit. 219

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MEDICINE. Spores. 221

Herb.

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The Tomato.

LYCOPERSICUM, Mill.; Gen. Pl., II., 888.

Lycopersicum esculentum, Mill.; Fl. Br. Ind., IV., 237; SOLA-
THE TOMATO OR LOVE-APPLE
[NACEAE.

Syn.-L. CERAsiforme, Dunal.; SOLANUM LYCOPERSICUM, Linn.; S.
HUMBOLDTII, Willd.; S. PSEUDOLYCOPERSICUM, Jacq.

Vern.-Gur-begun, timoti, tamati, HIND., BENG.; Belati bengana, Assam ;
Wilayati baigan, N.-W. P.; Bhatte, PB.; Wal-wangi, BOMB.; Vel-
vangi, tamate, MAR.; Viláyti vengan, Guz.; Simie-takalie-palam,
TAM.; Chhapar-badne, KAN.; Tamatie, MALAY.; Ka-yam-my-pong,
BURM.; Maha-rata-tamátie, SING.

References.-Roxb., Fl. Ind., Ed. C.B.C., 190; DC., Origin Cult. Pl.,
290; Mason, Burma and Its People, 471, 798; Year Book_Pharm., 1873,
85; Atkinson, Him. Dist., 703; Econ. Prod., N.-W. P., V., 13, 19;
Lisboa, U. Pl. Bomb., 167; Birdwood, Bomb. Pr., 170; Balfour, Cyclop.,
II., 752; Smith, Dic., 414; Agri.-Hort. Soc. of Ind.;-Transactions, III.,
10, 197 (Pro.), 227, 239, 284; VI. (Pro.), 36; VII. (Pro.), 116; Journal
(Old Series), IX. (Sel.), 55 ; X., 91; (New Series), I., 38; V., 35, 44;
Gazetteers:-Mysore and Coorg, I., 63; Bombay, VII., 40; Settle.
Repts.:-Chanda, 82; Simla, 41.

Habitat.-A trailing plant introduced from South America, and culțivated in many parts of India for its large red, or sometimes yellow, fruit. It is also found in many localities as an escape from cultivation. In the plains the seed is sown in autumn, and the fruit ripens during winter and spring. In the hills the plant grows more luxuriantly; and bears fruit throughout the summer and autumn months.

Food.-Natives are beginning to appreciate the FRUIT, but the plant is still chiefly cultivated for the European population. Bengalis and Burmans use it in their sour curries.

LYCOPODIUM, Linn.; Baillon, Bot. Med. Crypt., 28.
[LYCOPODIACEE.
Lycopodium clavatum, Linn.; Bent. & Trim., Med. Pl., 299;
THE CLUB-MOSS.

Syn.-L. INFLEXUM, Sw.

References.-Baillon, Bot. Med. Crypt., 30; Flückiger and Hanb., Pharmacog., 731; Smith, Dic., 121; Balfour, Cyclop., II., 752.

Habitat. This plant, the common club-moss, is almost cosmopolitan. being found in the temperate and colder regions of both hemispheres. It occurs in hilly districts throughout Europe, Northern Asia, and North America, extending to within the Arctic circle and to the Himalaya. It also grows in Australia, the Cape of Good Hope, the Falkland Islands, Madagascar, Java, Japan, and tropical America.

Medicine. The minute SPORES, shaken out of the mature sporangia or capsules, form a light yellow powder which has been used in pharmacy since the seventeenth century. This powder is, however, not now regarded as possessing any medicinal virtue, and is employed externally only, for dusting excoriated surfaces and for placing in pill boxes to prevent the mutual adhesion of pills (Pharmacographia). In former times the spores and the HERB were administered internally in retention of urine, plica polonica, and calculous complaints. Of late years it has been again coming into notice for similar diseases, and also as a remedy for dyspepsia, constipation with flatulence, hepatic congestion, and pustular skin eruptions

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION.-The SPORES Contain 47 per cent. of a bland, liquid, fixed oil, which does not solidify even at 15°C. By distilling Lycopodium with or without an alkali, Stenhouse obtained volatile bases in very small proportion (Pharmacographia). Certain allied species contain such

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a large amount of alumina in their ash, that they are employed as mordants

in dyeing (Baillon).

Domestic, &c.--The chief use of Lycopodium is in the manufacture of DOMESTIC. fire-works and for producing artificial lightning at theatres.

LYCOPUS, Tourn.; Gen. Pl., II., 1183.

Lycopus europæus, Linn.; Fl. Br. Ind., IV., 648; Labiatæ.

THE GIPSY-WORT.

Var.-exaltata,-L. EXALTATUS, Linn.

Vern.-Gandamgúndú, bazár plant=jalním, Kashmir.

References.-Stewart, Pb. Pl., 168; Gazetteer, N.-W. P., IV., lxxvi. Habitat. A small, perennial herb found in marshy ground on the Western Himalaya, between altitudes of 1,000 and 6,000 feet; distributed to Europe, West, North, and Central Asia.

Medicine.-Part of the PLANT is sold in bazárs in Northern India, under the above name, as a cooling drug (Stewart). Surgeon-Major Calthrop reports that the LEAVES are used externally as a poultice to cleanse foul

wounds.

LYSIMACHIA, Linn.; Gen. Pl., II., 635.

[LACEE.

Lysimachia candida, Lindl.; Linn. Soc. Jour., XXV., 48; PRIMU-
Syn.-L. SA MOLINA, Hance.

Habitat.-Found in the valley of Manipur in rice fields, between 2,000 and 3,000 feet in altitude (Watt).

Food.-Eaten by the Manipuris as a pot-herb along with fish (G. Watt). This fact is of considerable interest, since before Dr. Watt måde the observation that this species was regularly used as a vegetable, no member of the PRIMULACE was known to be edible.

Lytta.-A genus of Coleopterous insects, certain species of which may be employed as substitutes for Cantharides (see Mylabris, p. 309).

223

224

MEDICINE

Plant.

225

Leaves. 226

227

FOOD.
Plant.

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MABA nigrescens.

I

TIMBER.

2

3

FOOD. Berries.

4

TIMBER.

5

6

FOOD. Berries.

A Useful Timber.

(G. Watt.)

MABA, J. R. & G. Forst.; Gen. Pl., II., 664.

[Fl. Br. Ind., III., 551; EBENACEE. Maba andamanica, Kurz; Jour. As. Soc. Beng., 1876, Pt. II., 138; References.-Kurs, For. Fl. Burm., 11., 140.

Habitat.-A shrub, 3 to 5 feet in height; frequently met with in the moister upper mixed forests of the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Structure of the Wood.-Bluish-grey. Weight 49fb per cubic foot.

M. buxifolia, Pers.; Fl. Br. Ind., III., 551.

Roxburgh translates the Tamil name into IRON WOOD.

Syn.-FERREOLA BUXIFOLIA, Roxb.; MABA EBENUS, Wight, Ic., tt. 1228,
1229; M. NEILGHERRENSIS, Wight, Ill., t. 148.

Vern.-Gua koli, pisina, URIYA; Iramballi, eruvalli, humbilli, TAM.;
Nella-madi, pishina, uti chettu, pisinika, TEL.; Mépyoung, BURM.;
Kalu-habaraliya (Thuvarai, irumpalai, TAMIL), Sing.

References.-Roxb., Fl. Ind., Ed. C.B.C., 724; Kurs, For. Fl. Burm., ii.,
139; Pegu Prel. Rept., 86; Beddome, Fl. Sylv., cxlviii.; Gamble, Man.
Timb., 247, xxv.; Trimen, Cat. Ceylon Pl., 51; Mason, Burma and Its
People, 543, 782; Sir W. Elliot, Fl. Andh., 153, 187; Drury, U. Pl., 824;
Indian Forester :-III., 237; VII., 127; X., 31; XII., 313; Man. Tri-
chinopoly, 78; Gas., Orissa, II., 181; also App. VI.

Habitat.-A bush or small tree found in the Southern Deccan Peninsula, the Circar Mountains to Orissa, the Malay Peninsula, from Pegu to Malacca and distributed to Ceylon, North Australia, the Philippines, and Tropical Africa and Madagascar.

Food. It flowers during the hot season, and produces BERRIES which, when ripe, are generally eaten by the natives, and are said to taste well. It is mentioned by Shortt in his list of famine foods of Madras.

Structure of the Wood-Roxburgh says, "the wood is dark-coloured, remarkably hard, and durable It is employed for such uses, when its size will admit, as require the most durable heavy wood." This opinion is also given by Moore in his Manual of Trichinopoly, but Gamble remarks that the wood is "greyish white, moderately hard:" "the bush in Orissa,” he adds, "is very common on poor soils" Mason speaks of it as a hard, tough, knotty wood which the Tavoyers select for anchors to their large boats. Kurz says, the "wood is dark-coloured, hard, and durable." In a report of the Forests of Ceylon by F. D'A. Vincent, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Madras, this tree is mentioned in a list of the undergrowth of the dry zone where it is known as tuvere. It is also alluded to as met with on similar soils in the Upper Godávari and Mudumalai forests.

M. nigrescens, Dalz.; Fl. Br. Ind., III., 551.

Vern. Kari, KONKAN ; Kúla jhád, MAR. ; according to Dalzell & Gibson this is also known in Southern Bombay Forests as Raktrúra, a name, however, which Lisboa remarks is given to several other trees also. References.-Dalz. & Gibs., Bomb. Fl., 142; Bomb. Gaz. (Kanara), XV., Pt. I., 72, 437; Useful Pl., Bomb., 95 (incorrectly reduced to Maba buxifolia), 348. Habitat.-A small tree of the Western Ghats from the Konkan to Mysore. Mr. Talbot specially mentions it as occurring near the falls of Gersaffa and elsewhere in North Kánara.

Food. - Mr. Lisboa affirms that the BERRIES are eaten, but he is probably alluding to the more peculiarly South Indian species M. buxifolia, of which the berries are certainly eaten.

Structure of the Wood.-In the Konkan Gazetteer it is stated of this timber that it is small but remarkably hard and strong, and particularly prized for round rafters in native houses.

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Resin-yielding Plants.

(G. Watt.)

MACARANGA oxburghii,

MACARANGA, Thouars; Gen. Pl., III., 320.

[EUPHORBIACEE.

Macaranga denticulata, Müll. Arg.; Fl. Br. Ind., V., 446 ;
Syn-MACARANGA GUMMIFLORA, Muell. Arg.; MAPPA DENTICULATA,
Blume; M. GUMMIFLORA, Miq.; M. TRUNCATA, Muell. Arg.; M. WAL-
LICHII, Baill; and M. PANICULATA, Wall.

Vern.-Burua, CHITTAGONG; Pawaing, MAGH.; Chakro, GARO; Jogi,
mallata, NEPAL; Numro, LEPCHA; Toung-kpek-wan, taung-petwan,
BURM. Gamble distinguishes M. gummiflora as Jogi mallata in Nepal-
ese and M. denticulata as simply Mallata.

References.-Kurs, For. Fl. Burm., II., 287; Gamble, Man. Timb., 363.
Habitat.-A small evergreen tree, often gregarious, found in the Sikkim
hills, from 3,000 to 6,000 feet, but chiefly on old clearings. Also found in
Assam, Khasia hills, Chittagong, and Burma.

Resin.- Mr. J. N. Pickard (of the Forest Department, Burma) reports that this yields a red resin, a fact also alluded to by Kurz; but no mention is made of the properties or uses of the substance. It is probable that the resins obtained from all the species of Macaranga are similar to that described below under M. Roxburghii.

Structure of the Wood.-A fast growing tree, showing three rings per inch of radius, and attaining a height of 40 feet in ten years. Weight about 22 to 29 a cubic foot. Gamble says that it is much used for fencing and temporary huts. Kurz remarks that the wood is red-brown, adapted for cabinet work.

M. indica, Wight; Fl. Br. Ind., V., 446; Ic., tt. 1883 & 1949, f. 2.
Syn.-MACARANGA FLEXUOSA, Wight, Ic., t. 1909, f. iii.; TREWIA !HER-
NANDIFOLIA, Roth.

Vern.-Boura, BENG.; Modula, Assam; Laikeøa, MICHI; Lal mallata,
NEPAL; Chánda, MAR.

References. Kurz, For. Fl. Burm., II., 387; Beddome, Fl. Sylv., t., 287;
Gamble, Man. Timb., 363; Indian Forester, I., 93; Drury, U. Pl.,
284; Lisboa, U. Pl. Bomb., 124.

Habitat.-An evergreen tree 50 to 60 feet high: found in Sikkim up to 3,000 feet, the Mishmi and Khasia hills, Western Ghats, and Andaman islands.

foot.

Resin.- Exudes a red resin similar to that of M. denticulata (Kure).
Structure of the Wood. - Grey, moderately hard: weight 33th a cubic

M. Roxburghii, Wight; Fl Br. Ind., V., 448; Ic., t. 1949, f. 4.

Syn. MACARANGA WIGHTIANA, Baill.; M. TOMENTOSA, Wight; MAPPA
PELTATA, Wight (according to Sir W. Elliot), and apparently also OSYRIS
PELTATA, Roxb.

Vern-Chandkal, KANARA; Chándwar, chandora, MAR.; Vatte kanni,
TAM.; Boddi chettu (Elliot), TEL.; Upligi, upalkai, kanchupranthi,
KAN.; Chenthakanni, MYSORE; Bukenda, SING.

References.-Roxb., Fl. Ind., Ed. C.B.C., 712; Gamble, Man. Timb., 362;
Elliot, Fl. Andh., 29; Dymock, Mat. Med. W. Ind., 2nd Ed., 689; Fury
Reports, Madras Exhibition; Drury, U. Pl., 284; Cooke, Gums and
Gum-resins, 34-35; Indian Forester, X., 33; Gazetteers:-Bombay
XV., Pt. I., 72; Mysore and Coorg, I., 52.

Habitat. A small resinous tree found in the Deccan Peninsula, from North Kánara to Travancore, and on the Circars. Distributed to Ceylon. The young shoots and fruits are covered with an adhesive reddish secretion which has an odour of turpentine. This fact, mentioned by many writers on Macaranga Roxburghii, agrees admirably with Roxburgh's description of his somewhat doubtful plant Osyris peltata.

9

RESIN.

ΤΟ

TIMBER.

II

T2

RESIN.

13 TIMBER.

15

MACHILUS odoratissima.

GUM.

16

MEDICINE.
Gum.
17
Plant.
IS

FOOD. Fruit. 19 MANURE. Leaves.

20

21

22

A Crimson Gum.

Gum.-Cooke, in his account of the gums and resins formerly in the India Museum, quoting Drury apparently, says of this plant: "A gummy substance exudes from the cut branches and base of the petioles of these trees. It is of a light crimson colour, and has been used for taking impressions of leaves, coins, medallions, &c. When the gum is pure and carefully prepared, the impressions are as sharp as those of sulphur without its brittleness. Powdered and made into a paste it is reckoned a good external application for venereal sores." "The gum called vutta thamary, commented on in Madras jury reports, is the same substance: this is described as a simple pure gum of a crimson colour, exhibited from Travancore, and used for taking impressions of leaves, coins, medallions, &c." This same fact is alluded to in the Mysore and Coorg Gazetteer.

Medicine. In addition to the remedial properties assigned to the GUM in the above passage, the PLANT generally is used as a medicine. Dr. Dymock, for example, says: "The country people used the following in jarandi (Angl., Liver):-One part of the young shoots, with three parts of the young shoots of khoréti (Ficus asperrima) are sprinkled with hot water and the juice extracted; in this is rubbed down two parts each of the barks of both trees. The preparation may be administered twice a day in doses of 4th of a seer.

Food.-Several writers allude to the FRUIT of this plant as having been eaten in times of famine.

Manure.-Drury says: "The LEAVES afford a good manure for rice fields, and are much used for that purpose. Coffee-trees thrive well if planted under the shade of these trees, as the fallen leaves, which are large, enrich the soil."

Macaroni, see Triticum Vol. VI.; also Vermecelli, Vol. VI.

Macassar Oil, see Carthamus tinctorius, Linn., COMPOSITE; Vol. II., 194.
Mace, see Myristica fragrans, Houtt., MYRISTICEE; p. 311.

MACHILUS, Nees; Gen. Pl., III., 156.

The Flora of British India describes some ten species of Laurel as belonging
to this genus. With the exception of M. odoratissima, none of the others
appear to be of much importance. M. edulis, King (Phoebe attenuata, in
Gamble's Man. of Timbers, 308) yields an edible fruit known in Darjiling
as lepcha phal, the tree being called dudri in Nepal and phani by the Lepchas.
The wood of that species is much used in Dárjíling for tea chests. M. ma-
crantha, Nees, is a fairly abundant tree from the Konkan southwards. It is
known as gumára in the Konkan forests. It should thus be observed that
Phoebe attenuata, Nees, as given in the Flora of British India, is a distinct
plant from the lepcha phal described by Gamble.
Machilus odoratissima, Nees; Fl Br. Ind., V., 139; LAURINEÆ.
Syn. MACHILUS INDICA, Kurz; M. RIMOSA, Bl.; Laurus ODORATISSIMA,
Wall; L. INDICA, Lour.

Vern.-Dalchini, mith-patta, prora, badror, leddil, kálban, cháu, táura,
chandna, shalanglú, múkrú, bajhol, shír, PB; Rare, HAZARA; Kawala;
HIND.; Kawala, lali, jagrikat, NEPAL; Phamlet, LEPCHA; Súm, Ass.
Dingpingwait, KHASIA.

References.- Brandis, For. Fl., 378; Kurs, For. Fl. Burm, II., 291;
Gamble, Man. Timb., 308; Stewart, Pb. Pl., 188; Mueller, Select Extra-
Tropical Plants, 7th Ed., 230; Atkinson, Him. Dist., 316; Indian Forest-
er:-1., 95-99; III., 189; V., 35, 212; VI., 125; VIII., 404; IX., 359;
XI., 355; XII. 286, 454; Gazetteer:-Gurdaspur Dist., 55; Kew Off.
Guide to the Mus. of Ec. Bot., 112.

Habitat.-A large tree of the outer sub-tropical and temperate Himálaya, from Marí eastwards; ascending to 8,000 feet. Also found in the

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