Medicinal Plants
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Keu
Botanical name: Cheilocostus speciosus
(=Costos speciosus)Family: Costaceae Local name: Keu, Gaigobara, Kaukauka Common name: Crepe Ginger Parts used: Rhizome Plant character: It is a rhizomatous perennial herb with reddish slender stems. Flowers are white, embedded in red calyces. It prefers semi-shade and damp habitats. Wild in shady localities in forests and waste places. USES:
Rhizome of Cheilocostus speciosus is used to treat fever, asthma, acidity, throat infections, diabetes. Plant is also used as an ingredient in cosmetic products.
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Khajuri
Botanical name: Phoenix sylvestris Family: Arecaceae (Palmae) Local name: Khajuri Common name: Indian Date, Sugar Date Palm Parts used: Fruit, Sap Plant character: It is a single-stemmed palm with large pinnate spiny leaves. Flowers are creamish-white. Fruits oblong-ellipsoid, pulpy with hard seed. Plant is very hardy and need full sun. Plenty in coastal areas and dry habitats. USES:
The fruit from this plant is used to make wine and jelly. It is also useful in the treatment of vomiting, loss of consciousness and tuberculosis.
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Lembu
Botanical name: Citrus aurantifolia Family: Rutaceae Local name: Lembu, Kagjilembu Common name: Key lime Parts used: Fruit Plant character: It is a spiny evergreen small tree with white flowers and large ovate to oblong fleshy fruits. It prefers adequate sunlight. Usually cultivated in gardens and home gardens. USES:
It is a major source of Vitamin C and mainly used for pulmonary trouble, seasickness, scurvy and other disorders. Juice is applied on hair to control hair fall. It is also helpful to cure jaundice.
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Madaranga
Botanical name: Alternanthera sessilis Family: Amaranthaceae Local name: Madaranga Common name: Sessile Joyweed Parts used: Whole plant Plant character: It is perennial prostrate herb with angular stems, whitish floral bracts and flowers at nodes. It is a high light-demanding species. The plant grows plentily in aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats and field bunds, but can also be cultivated for herbal medicines. USES:
The leaves are eaten as a vegetable. Decoction of the whole plant is given in gonorrhea. It cures the worms, pimples, asthma problems. The leaves are said to increases eye power, if consumed regularly.
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Mandar
Botanical name: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Family: Malvaceae Local name: Mandar, Jaba Common name: China rose Parts used: Flower, leaves Plant character: It is a bushy, evergreen shrub or a small tree, mostly grown in gardens, parks and homesteads as an ornament plant. It prefers full sun but will tolerate light shade. USES:
The flower is used for hair care products mainly for prevention of dandruffs; dying and conditioning of hairs. Oil from the flower also used for hair care. The plant is used for the treatment of fever, coughs, diabetes, infections (bacteria and fungi) and gastric ulcers.
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Manjuati
Botanical name: Lawsonia inermis Family: Lythraceae Local name: Manjuati, Mehendi Common name: Henna, Mignonette Parts used: Root, Leaves Plant character: It is a small tree with creamish-white fragrant flowers. It requires bright sunlight and do not prefer too cold climate. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental and hedge plant; also occur in the wild. USES:
This plant is a source of dye for skin and hair. The root is medicinally used to cure jaundice, dandruff, and prevent skin inflammations.
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Nagayiri
Botanical name: Lantana camara var. aculeata Family: Verbenaceae Local name: Nagayiri, Putus Common name: Wild sage, Yellow sage Parts used: Leaf Plant character: It is a highly invasive alien weedy perennial shrub of forest floors, road sides, waste places. Flowers are pink/ red/ violet/ purple/ yellow; fruits globose, black when ripe. These plants like full sunlight or partial sun. It is also a cultivated ornamental plant. USES:
Fresh leaf juice is applied on fresh wounds immediately to stop bleeding effectively.
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Pana
Botanical name: Piper betel Family: Piperaceae Local name: Pana Common name: Betel vine Parts used: Leaf Plant character: A twiner growing with support of trellis. Leaves aromatic, cordate with acuminate apex. It grows under shade and humid conditions. It normally does not bear flowers and fruits. It is widely cultivated in coastal areas for its leaf. USES:
Leaves are used to cure night blindness and cold.
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Pedipedika
Botanical name: Abutilon indicum Family: Malvaceae Local name: Pedipedica Common name: Monkey bush , Indian abutilon Parts used: Leaf Plant character: It is an erect, highly branched shrub with softly hairy plant parts. Leaves simple but with crenate margins. Flowers are yellow; fruit a schizocarp, ovoid-subglobose. Plant requires full sunlight to partial shade and grows in open sunny places. It is found growing wild and can be cultivated. USES:
Leaves with black peppers are ground to make paste and the paste is taken orally to cure jaundice.
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Pijuli
Botanical name: Psidium guajava Family: Myrtaceae Local name: Pijuli, Peda, Guava Common name: Guava, Apple guava Parts used: Fruit Plant character: It is a small tree with smooth trunk and flaky bark. Leaves are prominently nerved. Flowers are white. Fruits ellipsoid, fleshy, edible. USES:
Plant is effective to cure dysentery with blood diarrhoea and diabetes.
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Pippali
Botanical name: Piper longum Family: Piperaceae Local name: Pippali, Long Pepper Common name: Indian Long Pepper Parts used: Fruit Plant character: It is a robust climber with rooting at the nodes and profuse branches. It needs support for its proper growth. The leaves are deep green; flowers are unisexual, borne on spikes. Fruits elongate, black. The species needs partial shade for its ideal growth. USES:
Fruit is usually used as spice. It is also used for the treatment of chronic bronchitis, cough, fever and respiratory infections.
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Podina
Botanical name: Mentha piperita Family: Lamiaceae Local name: Podina,pudina, mint Common name: Peppermint Parts used: Leaf Plant character: It is a perennial medicinal herb; grown in gardens or in pots. It can withstand partial shade. Direct sunlight may slow its growth, and will require more watering. Widely cultivated in home gardens for its culinary use. USES:
The essential oil and leaf extracts of this popular herb is used for curing indigestion and hyper-acidity. Mint oil is used has pesticidal and insecticidal properties to repel mosquitos, ants etc. Peppermint is also used in flavoring ice creams, candy, fruits, alcoholic beverages, toothpaste and skin care products.
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Prasaruni
Botanical name: Paederia foetida Family: Rubiaceae Local name: Prasaruni, Pasaruni Common name: Skunk Vine, Chinese Fever Vine Parts used: Leaf Plant character: It is a slender perennial climber with acute leaves with unpleasant odour. Flowers are tubular, pink. It grows well in bright sun light. They are found in the forests and also grown in gardens. USES:
Plant is effective to cure joint pain. Leaves are also used to treat stomach diseases, infertility and paralysis.
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Puruni
Botanical name: Boerhavia diffusa Family: Nyctaginaceae Local name: Puruni, Punarnava Common name: Punarnava, Hog weed Parts used: Leaf, Root Plant character: It is a decumbent herbaceous plant with fleshy orbicular leaves, pink flowers and sticky fruits. It cannot grow in the shade too. The plant grows wild as an weed in waste places, but can be cultivated. USES:
Decoction of roots is used in the treatment of jaundice and eye diseases. Root bark paste is used for eczema. The leaves are used as a leafy vegetable.
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Rashi
Botanical name: Sesamum indicum Family: Pedaliaceae Local name: Rashi, Khasa, Tila Common name: Sesame Parts used: Seeds Plant character: It is anerect herbaceous annual herb with white or light pink bell-shaped flowers and elongate, compressed fruits. Seeds are black, flat. It requires very hot, dry conditions and bright sunlight for growth. Usually cultivated but runs wild as an escape. USES:
The seed oil is applied on scalp for better hair growth and for control of hair fall. The oil is used in ayurvedic medicines for massaging in rheumatic problems. Seeds are used for making sweet deserts.
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Rukunahathpocha
Botanical name: Plectranthus amboinicus
(=Coleus amboinicus)Family: Lamiaceae Local name: Rukunahathpocha Common name: Mexican Mint/ thyme/ oregano Parts used: Leaves Plant character: Plant characters: It is a semi-succulent perennial plant with thick sweet-scented leaves. It grows best in partial shade. The plant is mostly harvested from cultivated sources. USES:
Leaves are highly flavoured and useful for indigestion, bowl complaints and to increase appetite.
