Part 44

Nom. Vulg.--Mangit, Alangitngit, Tag., Vis.

Uses.--The leaves dried in the shade are used in some Visayan towns, in infusion to take the place of tea. The root is used by the Hindoo physicians as an alterative. Dr. R. Ross has employed it for that purpose in a decoction of 60 grams to 500 cc. of water; 60 cc. a day of this preparation gave him good results in secondary and constitutional syphilis. The Mohammedans of India consider the root an antidote for vegetable poisons.

Botanical Description.--Small tree, 5-6° high, trunk straight. Leaves alternate or bunched in 3's or 4's at the nodes, lanceolate or spatulate, 3-toothed at apex, sometimes serrate toward the apex, set with short, stiff hairs. Petioles very short. Flowers axillary, in racemose panicles of a few flowers each. Common peduncle long, pedicel short. Calyx free, bell-shaped, persistent, divided almost to base into 5 narrow, downy parts. Corolla bell-shaped, 5 oval lobules. Stamens 5. Ovary oval, within the flower. Style bifid. Stigmas simple, truncate. Drupe globose, with hard, slightly furrowed putamen of 6 locules and solitary seeds.

Habitat.--Malinta and many other parts of the Visayas. Blooms in January.

CONVOLVULACEÆ.

Convolvulus Family.

Ipomoea hederacea, Jacq. (I. nil, Roth.; Convolvulus nil, L. and Blanco.)

Nom. Vulg.--Bulakan, Tag.; Kala-Danah, Indo-Eng.

Uses.--This plant is not used as a medicine by the Filipinos, but is official in the Pharmacopoeia of India from which we copy its indications and official preparations.

The seed is the part employed, its cathartic properties being much like those of jalap, though less energetic. An excellent substitute for the latter is 2 or 3 grams of kala-danah seeds in powder form, and no unpleasant effects attend its operation.

The official preparations are:

Extract of Kaladana.--Dose, 30-60 centigrams in pill.

Powdered seeds 500 grams. Alcohol 2 liters. Water 4 1/2 liters.

Tincture of Kaladana.--Dose, 8-12 grams.

Seeds 75 grams. Alcohol 500 grams.

Compound Powder of Kaladana.--Dose, 3-3 1/2 grams.

Powdered seeds 150 grams. Acid tartrate of potassium 270 grams. Powdered ginger 30 grams.

The last is an excellent substitute for the corresponding preparation of jalap.

Resin of Kaladana.--Dose, 30-50 centigrams. It is prepared like resin of jalap and is a safe and sure purgative. In mass it has a dark color, but is gray when powdered. The odor is rather unpleasant, the taste sweetish and then acrid, nauseous, persistent, exciting the saliva and irritating the fauces. It was introduced into practice by Dr. G. Vidie.

Botanical Description.--A twiner with round, downy stem. Leaves heart-shaped, 3-lobed, the middle one broad-lanceolate, the lateral ones rather rectangular with petioles of equal length with the leaves. Flowers large, rose color or pale blue, in axillary cymes of 2 or 3 flowers each. Calyx, 5 long, downy parts. Corolla bell-shaped, 5 faint lobes. Stamens 5, free, inserted in the corolla. Ovary free, 3 biovulate locules. Style simple. Stigma trilobed. Seed vessels globose with 3 locules each containing 2 seeds. Seeds convex on dorsum, 1/2 cm. broad by 1 cm. long, testa black.

Habitat.--Manila. Blooms in August.

Ipomoea pes-capræ, Roth. (Convolvulus pes-capræ L. and Blanco.)

Nom. Vulg.--Katagkatag, Lagayray, Lampayog, Bagasoa, Kamigag, Daripay, Tagaray, Arodayday, Lambayog, Tag., Vis.; Lambayog, Iloc.

Uses.--The dry, powdered leaves are dusted over bruises and ulcers. The entire plant is very mucilaginous and the bruised fresh leaves are applied like poultices to cancers and ulcerating tumors. In India the boiled leaves are applied locally in colic and in rheumatism; the juice is given internally in dropsy as a diuretic, the pounded leaves at the same time serving as a poultice to the oedematous parts.

Botanical Description.--A plant that creeps extensively, the stem taking root. Leaves with 2 well-marked lobules. Flowers rose-lilac color, in axillary panicles with long pedicels. Corolla very large, bell-shaped, the limb 5-angled and 5-nerved. Stamens 5, unequal in height. Stigma globose, marked by a line; later it divides in two. Seed vessel ovate, 2-celled, in each cell 2 downy seeds convex on one side, angular on the other.

Habitat.--Very common on the seashore. Blooms in January.

Ipomoea Turpethum, R. Br. (Convolvulus Turpethum, L.; C. maximus, Blanco.)

Nom. Vulg.--Albohol, Sp.; Turpeth Root, Indian Jalap, Eng.