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A prostrate to semierect herb, 0.3 to 0.8 m tall, often forming a
small compact bush about 0.6 m tall; branches glabrous or pubescent,
heavily armed with broad-based, black-tipped recurved thorns. Leaves
small, sensitive, bipinnate; leaflets about 16 pairs; petioles up to
4 cm long. Inflorescence of axillary headlike spikes, flowers
pinkish, sessile. Pods usually in a dense cluster, 10 to 15 mm long
and 4 mm wide, flat, segmented, somewhat constricted between the
articulations, one-seeded segments.Propagated from seed. Seed will
germinate in 14 to 21 days.
Medical use: It is said to have a bitter and astringent taste, and
stops bleeding and speeds healing. It is used for diarrhea (athisaara),
Amoebic dysentery (raktaatisaara), bleeding piles, gynecological
disorders, skin diseases, bronchitis, general weakness and
impotence. Most commonly used is the root, but leaves, flowers,
bark, and fruit can also be encountered. |
