# Indian Medicinal Plants/Natural Order Burseraceæ

252. — Boswellia serrata, Roxb. H. F. b. i., i. 528, Roxb. 365.
Syn. : — B. thurifera, Roxb.
Sans : — Salasi-niryâsa, sallaki, kunduru, gugguli.
Vern. : — (The gum resin) Salhe, salci or sâlai, sâlgâ, sêl-gond, kundur, salpe, lubân (H.) ; Lubân, salai, kundro (B.) ; Saiga (Santal.) ; Anduku, anduga, gûggar, dnmsal (Kumaon) ; Salla, bor-salci, ganga (Gond), Silai (C, P.) ; Sâlar (Ulwar) ; Salai, salga, guggula, salai-dhup, sâlaphali (Bom.) ; Salaphali (Mar.) ; Kundur (Duk.) ; Dhup, mukul salai, gugali (Guz,) ; Saliya, gugul (Cutch) ; Kungli, gûgûlu, kûndrikam morada, kundruk- kampishin, parangi-shâmbi-râni (Tam.) ; Parangi-sâmbrâni, anduga-pisunu, anduku, ându, Adak (Tel.) ; Vella-kundirukkam (Mal.); Chittu Maddi (Kan.)
Habitat : — Forests of the base of the Western Himalaya as far west as the Sutlej. Central India from Behar to Rajputana, and Southward into the Dekkan and to the Circars and the Conkan within 10-20 miles of the Western Ghats.
A deciduous, middle-sized tree, with a spreading flat crown. Bark nearly ½in. thick, greenish, ash-coloured, peeling off in thin smooth flakes. Young shoots and leaves pubescent, with simple hairs Leaves imparipinnate, crowded at the ends of branches ; leaflets 8-15 pair, opposite or nearly opposite, sessile, lanceolate, more or less deeply crenate, apex generally obtuse. Flowers bisexual. Calyx small, 5-7-cleft, petals 5-7. Stamens 10-12, inserted at the base of the red annular fleshy disk. Ovary 3-celled, half immersed in the disk ; 2 collateral ovules in each cell. Fruit 3-valved, the valves separating from the dissepiments which remain attached to the axis. Seeds 3, enclosed in heart-shaped stones attached to the inner angle. Cotyledons trifid, lobes laciniate, radicle superior. ​ The leaves fall about March and April, the fresh foliage comes out in June. Flowers, when the tree is leafless, sometimes before the old leaves fall or after the fresh appear. Coppices well, and readily grows from the cutting (Brandis).
" Uses : — The gum of this tree is used as a diaphoretic and astringent, and is used in the preparation of ointment for sores. It is also prescribed with clarified butter in syphilitic diseases ; with cocoanut oil for sores ; and as a stimulant in pulmonary diseases. The Olibanum is also given in bronchorrœa and chronic laryngitis, employed both internally and in the form of fumigation. An ointment has been prepared from it which is said to be a good stimulant application to carbuncles, ulcerations, boils, &c. The Mahomedans consider it hot and dry, and to have dessicative, astringent properties " (Dymock).
" The resin in tears is known is kûndûr, but in soft masses it is called gundah-ferosah" (Modeen Sheriff.) In Bombay it is known as gandaberoza.
Mixed with gum acacia, it is used as a corrective for foul breath. Used for any length of time in one drachm doses it is said to reduce obesity.
Dr. Moodeen Sheriff considers it to be an internal and external stimulant, expectorant, stimulant diuretic and stomachic. It is also a slight hepatic stimulant. Useful in jaundice, not depending on mechanical obstruction, and in some slight and chronic cases of diarrhœa, dysentery, dyspepsia, pulmonary affections and hæmorrhoids. In the form of an oily solution, it exercises some good influence over the growth of the hair ; and in that of an ointment, it excites a healthy action in some weak and unhealthy kinds of ulceration.
" The gum-resin is used to promote the absorption of bubo, and is applied locally. The oil in 10 or 20 minim doses is useful in gonorrhoea, taken in demulcent drinks" (Surgeon C. M. Russel, Bengal.)
" Refrigerant, diuretic, and emmenagogue" (Saboona Lal, Hospital-Assistant, Jubbulpore.)
"Astringent, applied in the form of an ointment to chronic ulcers, diseased bones, buboes, &c." ​ " The Bosiuellia serrata (Salai) gumresin enquiry is now approaching a definite conclusion. During the year samples of the oil and rosin, products of steam distillation, were forwarded for valuation to the Imperial Institute, London. The report on these has been received and is to the effect that the oil closely resembles American Turpentine Oil except as regards smell and is of excellent quality and will readily command a market, the rosin on the other hand is of poor quality, the defects being low saponification value and bad odour. Another experiment is now being carried out under the solvent process. The quality of the gum and resin produced by this process appears to be far superior to that produced by steam distillation and samples are therefore being forwarded to the Imperial Institute for a further report.
As regards the prospects of an industry arising from the tapping of Boswellia it cannot be said that these are at present very hopeful, the chief obstacles being the relatively small amount of resin exuded and consequently the high cost of the crude product. Reports from the local forest officers also indicate that tapping may permanently damage the trees so that investigation on this point, viz., whether the trees are damaged by tapping, as well as the best of methods of tapping to obtain the maximum yield is to be under- taken during the coming working season." Annual Report of the Board of Scientific advice for India, 1914-15 pp. 128-129.
253. — Garuga pinnata, Roxb. h. f. b. i, i. 528 ; Roxb. 370.
Vern : — Kûrak (Bomb.); Kûsimbâ also kâkad (Concan) ; Garuga or garugoo (Tel.) ; Joom (B.)
Habitat : — Throughout India.
A large, deciduous tree. Bark lin. thick, soft red inside, grey or brown outside, exfoliating in large irregularly shaped scales. Wood variable : sapwood white, large ; heartwood reddish brown, moderately hard, even-grained. Pores large, not numerous, often subdivided, sometimes filled with resin. Medullary rays short, moderately broad, on a radial section, visible as narrow horizontal plates, and giving a pretty silvergrain (Gamble). Young shoots and inflorescence grey pubescent. Leaves imparipinnate, crowded near the ends of the branches. Leaflets 0-9 pair, opposite or nearly so ; lanceolate, or ovate- lanceolate, crenate. Flowers yellow, or pale-yellow, in axillary panicles, several at the end of branches. Calyx campanulate, 10-ribbed, 5-cleft, lined by a thin disk, with a crenate margin, on the edges of which the 5 petals and 10 stamens are ​ inserted. Ovary 4-5-celled, 2 collateral ovules in each cell. Fruit a fleshy globose drupe, pale yellow when ripe, enclosing 2, rarely more, bony, 1-seeded tuberculated stones. Fresh foliage — April or May— with the flowers or after them. Leafless during the greater part of the dry season.
Parts used : — The fruit, and juice of the leaves and stem.
Uses : — " In Salsette, near Bombay, the juice of the stem is dropped into the eye to cure opacities of the conjunctiva ; the fruit is pickled and eaten as a cooling and stomachic remedy. In the Concan, the juice of the leaves, with that of the leaves of Adhatoda Vasica and Vitex trifolia, mixed with honey, is given in asthma" (Dymock.). The epicarp of the fruit is also cooked in Bombay with the flower heads of the aroid Shevalâ plant to reduce the acrid taste of the latter, and eaten as vegetable.
254.-— Balsamodendron mukul, Hook. H. f. b. i., i. 529.
Sans. : — Konshikaha, guggulu.
Vern. : — Gugal, mukul, ranghan turb (B., H., Dec, Guz.) ; Maishakshi, gukkal, gukkulu (Tam.) ; Mahi-saksh gugal (Teh)
J. Indraji :--Gugar, gugal. (Porebunder and Guj.) Mukul, Gugal (Marathi) ; Gugal (Hindi).
Arab. : — Mokl-arzak, aflatan.
Pers. : — Boe-jahudan.
Habitat : — Sindh, Rajputana, Bednore, Khandeish, Berars, Mysore, and Bellary.
A stunted shrub or dwarfed tree. " Bark greenish yellow, peeling in long thin, shining paper-like scrolls. Wood soft, white. Pores small. Medullary rays fine, short. The bark yields a £um called Gugal " (Gamble).
Branches thick, spreading, branchlets often spinescent. Trunk knotty. The outer bark coming off in rough flakes, leaving exposed an inner layer which is bright, shining and peels off, as noted above from Gamble's remarks, like thin ​ paper. Leaves generally approximate at the ends of thick short arrested branchlets, obovate, almost sessile, the tapering base entire, the upper part toothed. On luxuriant shoots the leaves are distant, trifoliate, the lateral leaflets small. Flowers unisexual, subsessile, 2 or 3 together. Petal 4-5, strap-shaped. Stamens 8-10, alternately longer. Drupe red, when ripe.
Part used : — The gum.
Use : — " It is used in Native medicine as a demulcent, aperient, carminative, and alterative ; especially useful in nervous diseases, scrofulous affections, urinary disorders and skin- diseases, and is used in the preparation of an ointment for bad ulcers." (Watt.)
" Applied as a hot paste to incipient abscesses, as an absorbent. Is used as an expectorant. Aphrodisiac according to Sk. Boali-Saina. Applied locally as a paste in hæmorrhoids." (Dr. Emerson.)
" Held in highest repute in the treatment of rheumatism, given internally and applied locally " (Surgn. Robb.) — Watt, i. 367.
255. B. Roxburghii, Arn. h.f.b.l, i. 529.
Syn. : — Amyris commiphora, Roxb. 323.
Vern. :— Gugala (B.) ; Gugal, mahishabola (Bom.) ; Gugar (Sind.) ; Kookul (Tam.).
Habitat :— Eastern Bengal, Sylhet and Assam.
Spinescent says Brandis. Branches spiny, (says Alfred W. Bennett in Hooker.) Leaves 3-foliate, terminal leaflet very finely serrulate, lateral leaflets very small.
Use: — -The gum resin is also used medicinally like other species of Balsamodendron.
Balsamodendron Roxburghii, which, when broken, or bruised, diffuses a grateful fragrance, like that of the finest myyrh, yet that " the juice never congeals, but is carried off by evaporation, leaving little or nothing behind ; and all that he (Dr. Royle) could ever procure was a very minute portion of gummy matter, which certainly resembles myrrh both in smell and appearance, but has no tendency to be even tenacious or elastic." ​ The excellent Dr. Royle, however, rather inclines to the opinion that this tree, when old, does yield a gum resin, closely resembling myrrh, because that which he examined '* was said to come from the hills, at the foot of which the tree is found."— Ed. — Hooker's Journal of Botany.
256. B. pubeseens, Stocks, h.f.b.i., i. 529.
Habitat : — Rocky parts of Sindh, as far south as Karachi. Distributed through Baluchistun.
A small tree, with pubescent, unarmed branches. Leaves 3-5-foliate, on slender petioles, longer than the blade, soft and downy when young. Leaflets entire, lateral leaflets nearly orbicular, terminal, ovate-cuneate, petiolate. Flowers sessile, 4- merous. Stamens equal. Drupe red, with 2 stones ; pulp orange-cloured.
Use : — Dr. J. Newton reports that the gum obtained from this tree may be used in the form of ointment for cleansing and stimulating bad ulcers. It is a favorite application in Dehli sores, combined with sulphur, catechu and borax. It is reported to stimulate healthy action, (Pharm. Ind.).
257. Canarium commune, Linn. h.f.b.i, i. 531 ; Roxb. 504.
Vern. : — Jangli bâdâm (H.) ; Jangali bedânâ (Cutch) ; Kaglimara, kagga libija, Java bada miyaune (Kan.) ; Canari (Mal.). Rata-Kakuna (Sinhalese.)
Eng. : — Java Almond tree.
Habitat : — A native of the Malayan Peninsula, but generally cultivated in India.
A large tree introduced into India from Malay. Wood greyish white, soft, smooth (Gamble). Extremities of branches tawny, puberulous or glabrate. Stipules elliptic or rotundate, auricled, often early deciduous. Leaves of flowering branches ¾-1½ft., more or less ; leaflets entire, 7-9 ovate to oblong, elliptical, acuminate, glabrous ; lateral nerves about 10-15 pair, often paler and sub-prominent beneath. Upper leaflets 4-6 by 1¼-2½ in.; petiolules ½-1in. Panicles terminal puberulous, with spreading, successively shorter, lateral branches. Buds ​ enclosed in ovate-rotundate tomentose bracts. Flowers variable in size, normally 3-merous ; female flowers ⅓ to over ½in. in length. Calyx campanulate. Stamens in male flowers, inserted around the hairy rudiment of ovary. Ovary glabrous, incrassate above. Drupe ellipsoidal, subtrigonous with a bony 1-3 — celled stone. Cotyledons tripartite, contorted (Blume).
Use : — The gum, according to Ainslie, has the same properties as balsam of copaiba. It is applied in the form of an ointment to indolent ulcers. The oil expressed from the kernels might be substituted for almond oil.
258. C. strictum, Roxb. h.f.b.i., i. 534 ; Roxb. 504.
Eng. : — The black Damar tree.
Vern.. : — Kâlâ dammâr (H. B. and Guz.) ; Dhûp, gûgul (Bom.) ; Dhûp, râldhup (Mar.) : Karapu kongiliam, karapu dammar, congiliummarum, karuppu dâmar (Tam.) ; Nallarójan (Tel.) ; Manda-dhup, raldhupada (Kan.) ; Thelli (Mala.).
Habitat :— Western Peninsula, Concan, Bababuden Hills, &c.
A very large, straight, diciduous tree. Bark grey, roughish. Wood moderately hard, heart-wood pink, sap wood greyish white. This handsome tree, says Gamble, is one of the most conspicuous trees of the Western Ghat, especially when coming into new leaf, for the young leaves are of a bright crimson colour, very hairy and like red velvet. Branchlets, petiole, midrib and nerves beneath, densely clothed with soft reddish brown tomentum. Leaves imparipinnate, 1-1½ft., long more or less on flowering branches, varying to 4ft. Leaflets coriaceous, 12, 3-4 pair, serrate or crenulate while young, 3-6in. long, by 1½-2½ (5), in broad secondary nerves, prominent beneath Petiole 1/10-⅓in. Panicles shorter than leaves, upper lateral branches short or male flowers in sessile fascicles. Male flower ⅓in. long, in a narrow, racemiform panicle, 6-9in. long. Calyx tubular, with three shallow broad teeth. Petals coriaceous, oblong, rudimentary, ovary depressed, lobed, hispid. Female flowers in short few-fid racemes, less crowded on stout ​longer pedicels, marked with scar of small caducous bracts. Calyx tomentose, campanulate, shortly and broadly 3-lobed. Petals thinly tomentose above. Ovary glabrate, equalling the stout style. Drupe 1-2in. long, ellipsoid or ovoid, tapering, with a thick, bony stone.
Part used : — Gum.
Uses : — According to Dr. Bidie, the resin is used as a substitute for Burgundy pitch in making plasters. Also employed with gingelly oil in rheumatic pains (Watt ii. 96).
259. C. bengalense, Roxb h.f.b.i., i. 534. Roxb. 504.
Habitat : — Sylhet and the adjoining districts.
Vern. : — Gogul-dhûp (Nepal) ; Narokpa (Lepcha) ; Tekreng (Garo); Bisjang, dhûnâ (Assam).
A tall, ever-green, glabrous tree. Bark ½in. thick, rather smooth, greyish white, with numerous lenticels, peeling off in small round thick flakes. Wood soft, sap wood yellowish white, heartwood reddish brown. Extremities rusty, pubescent, glabrate, with subulate stipules. Leaves l-2ft. Leaflets sub-opposite, 13-21, ovate-oblong or lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous, 3-6 by 1-2 in. Panicles racemiform, from upper axils, shorter than or equalling the leaves ; buds cylindrical. Calyx cupuliform, 3-fid. Petals obvate oblong, 3, imbricate ; filaments confluent, half their length. Disk hirsute, within the stamens. Drupe ellipsoidal, smooth, size of a large olive, 1-3 — celled, dark purple, pruinose. Stone trigonous, thick, bony. Cotyledons contortoplicate. A clear, amberlike resin exudes from wound in the bark.
Use :--The leaves and bark are used externally for rheumatic swellings (Watt ii. 94).
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