Colonel Cox says that the wood reduced to a powder acts as an emetic, and is employed by the natives as an antidote to opium poisoning.
189. G. asiatica, Linn, h.f.b.i, i 386., Roxb. 431.
Sans, : — Purusha.
Vern. : — Phálsâ, shakri (B. and H.) ; Phalna, pharnu (Pb.) ; Phutiki (Tel.) ; Singhindamin (Kol.) ; Jangolat (Santal) ; Tadáchi (Tam.'; Pastaoni, shikarim-ai-wah (Pushtu); Pháraho, phalsa (Sind).
Habitat: — Cultivated in India, except in the Gangetic plains and East Bengal, and said to be indigenous in the Salt Range, Poonch and Oudh, Ceylon.
N.B. — Kanjilal's Syn. of this plant is G. Asiatica Var. vestita, Wall, (See p. 65. For. Fl. Sch. Circ., N. W. P., 3rd Ed. 1911, Calcutta).
The following is Kanjilal's description : — "A tree with grey bark ; branches and young plants with large white blotches. Leaves 3-5 by 2-2½ in., obliquely ovate, generally not cordate, acuminate, minutely serrate, sometimes obscurely 3-lobed, pale and softly downy beneath, especially when young ; basal nerves 5-6 ; petiole generally not exceeding ½in. ; stipules linear. Flowers in densely crowded (rarely solitary) axillary cymes ; peduncles ⅓-⅔ in. long, not ribbed. Sepals slightly pubescent, and yellow inside. Petals yellow, much shorter than the sepals. Drupe globose, ⅛-1/5 in. diam., sometimes indistinctly 2-4-lobed, dark brown, or black when ripe."
Kanjilal further remarks: —On comparing a number of specimens collected by me, Mr. Duthie was satisfied that G. elastica, Royle, was quite distinct from G. vestita, Wall., on the grounds that in the former the innovations were dark rusty- tomentose, the petals not glandular at the base, and the leaves very frequently lobed. (p. 66 of cit.) Wood grey, tough, elastic, hard and close-grained. The bark yields white fibre. Fruit edible.
Parts used : — The fruit, leaves, bark and root.
