Wednesday, November 28, 2012

AGATHI (Sesbania grandiflora) ( അകത്തി )

COMMON NAME:-  AGATHI


OTHER NAMES:    

                       Gaach-munga
                  Agasti
                  Agase
                  Agastee
                  Avisi
                  Heta
                  Kembang turi
                  Pka angkea dey
                                          Kathuru Murunga                                           


BOTANIC NAME: -   Sesbania grandiflora 

FAMILY: Fabaceae



HABIT : Soft wooded, small tree.


                 Sesbania grandiflora is a small erect, fast-growing, and sparsely branched tree that reaches 10 m in height.


 This plant has pinnately compound leaves in which each leaf is divided into multiple leaflets.

 Agati leaves can be up to 30 cm long with 5-15 paired leaflets that are oblong to elliptic in shape and about 3 cm in length.


 The flowers are large (7–9 cm long) and are borne on an unbranched.The flower bud is sickle shaped, red or white in colour.   


 The flowers are similar in shape and arrangement to Pea flowers with five petals that are differentiated into a standard. The fruit is a thin pod which can be up to 60 cm long and contains from 15-50 seeds.

  


                       















MEDICINAL VALUE:-      

Agathi is  one of the richest natural sources of vitamin A.


It is used as a medicine for  rheumatism, fever, arthritis, scabies and night blindness.


Leaves, flowers, tender fruits, roots and barks are used in medicines. 

Folkloric:

Juice of the leaves used for cough,nasal catarrh and headaches.
For better vision.
For healing wounds.
Bark is used as astringent (used to contract the tissuesand stop bleeding or secretion) 




  








FOOD VALUE:-

The flowers, young leaves and tender pods of the white flowered Agati  are edible .



They are prepared by blanching in boiling water for less than a minute or may be dipped in batter and fried in butter. The flowers are eaten as vegetables alone or mixed into curries or salads.



METHOD OF CULTIVATION:-

Seeds are used for planting.


LOCAL NAMES: AGASTHI (Malayalam),

HUMMING BIRD TREE, SCARLET WISTERIA,SWAMP PEA (English),

AGASTI, HATHYA, MUNIDRUMAM (Sanskrit) 

BASNA , GAACH MUNGA (Hindi),

 AKATHI (Tamil), 

AGASE (Tamil), 

AVISI (Telugu).
   

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Where can i get its seed, any contact number?

manu nair said...

Agathi seedlings are available in almost all Agri. Nursuries.U may contact ur nearest Nursery (Govt or Pvt.)that selling Planting materials.

Anonymous said...

Please can u tell what it is called in Kanada,thank u in advance

manu nair said...

Agasi in Kannada

Anonymous said...

Can we use red flowered agathi?? Is that edible?

manu nair said...

yes it is edible, but it is mostly used for preparation of ayurvedic medicines.

Anonymous said...

Can you please tell whether the leaves,tender pods and flowers of red flowered agathi are edible for making dishes

Unknown said...

Good information. Leaf juice or leaf Powder is used for thyroid cure. Very effective.