Sephlikά.

Rajanihάsά.

Vern. Siuli, Beng. Harsingar. Hind.

This plant is cultivated in gardens for the sake of its flowers. These open at sunset, and before morning strew the ground thickly with their fallen corollas. Native women and children collect them and, separating the orange coloured tubes from the white petals, dry them in the sun and preserve them for dyeing their clothes a beautiful buff or orange colour.

The leaves are used in medicine. They are regarded as useful in fever and rheumatism. The fresh juice of the leaves is given with honey in chronic fever.1 Some preparation of iron is also generally given along with it. A decoction of the leaves prepared over a gentle fire is recommended by several writers as a specific for obstinate sciatica.2