Tuesday, December 31, 2013

KAATTU AMALPORI (കാട്ടു അമൽ പ്പൊരി )

















ENGLISH NAME:  WILD SERPANT ROOT
                                               
BOTANIC NAME:  Chasalia curviflora   

Synonym: Chasalia ophyoxyloids 

FAMILY : Rubiaceae





HABIT: An erect, evergreen, shade loving plant.     
                                                     
DESCRIPTION                         
         PLANT : Shrub grows up to a height of 1meter.
         LEAF : Simple, opposite, 10-15 cm length, 2.5-5cm width. Dark green in colour.
         FLOWER:  Inflorescence terminal, in cymes up to 3cm long,
                  Petals five, white margin with yellow shade inside.
                  Purple tubular corolla curves upwards.
                  Tiny white coloured sepals.

       FRUIT/SEED: fleshy green in colour turns to black when ripe.





















PROPAGATION   : By seeds 











MEDICINAL USES: 

The roots are used in tribal medicines.

 APPLICATIONS:  

Folkloric:
Paste of leaves and root is applied topically on affected places to heal wounds and pimples.     
Decoction of the root is reported to be used for the treatment of Pneumonia and throat pain.     


LOCAL NAMES: KAARUTHA AMALPORI , VELLA KURINJI (Malayalam).

Monday, December 30, 2013

AMALPORI ( അമൽ പൊരി )


 AMALPORI
 ENGLISH NAME:    SERPANT ROOT                              
BOTANIC NAME:   Rauvolfia serpentina    
FAMILY:                  Apocynacea
HABIT:                    An erect, evergreen, shade loving plant.
                                                          
DESCRIPTION  
                       
         PLANT: Perennial grows up to a height of 1meter.

         LEAF : Simple, 10-15 cm length, 2.5-5cm width.
                Leaves are seen in whorls of three in each node.

         FLOWER:Inflorescence terminal, in cymes up to 3cm long,
                Five petals white in colour form a tubular corolla with red sepals.

       FRUIT/SEED: Tiny oval, fleshy turns to purple/black when ripe, two seeds are seen                                           
                in a fruit.

       PROPAGATION   : By seeds 
Serpentina Seeds














MEDICINAL USES: The roots are used in medicines.

 APPLICATIONS:   
Folkloric:
Powdered roots are used for the treatment of high blood pressure. 
(Long term use may cause some side effects.)
Anti dote against the bite of venomous reptiles.

Studies:
The roots contain more than 60 alkaloids.
Chiefly used as a sedative,tranquilizer and anti psychotic.

LOCAL NAMES :
SARPAGANDI, CHUVANNAVALPORI (Malayalam), 
OPHIOXYLON, INDIAN SNAKE ROOT, SARPAGANDA (English),
CHANDRABHAGA, CHOTACHAND (Hindi),
CHIVANMELPODI (Tamil),
SARPAGANDI (Kannada),
PAATAALAGANDI (Telugu).

  FOOT NOTE: Use of Rauvolfia serpentina is fatal to  persons suffering from bronchitis, asthma or gastric ulsers.      


Thursday, November 14, 2013

Common pierrot


Common grass yellow


Grey count


Common sailer


Dysphania percota



Saturday, April 6, 2013

MY DREAM


During last few years,
while interacting with general public,
I learned a few lessons.....
That I wish to share with you.

    *     Most people are proud of our rich tradition and culture.

    * Most of them like to cultivate vegetables, Spices, Medicinal plants ..etc. in the available space.

    *  Most people want to conserve Biodiversity. 

   *Most of them want to share these things with their children.
Now a days, 
in this busy world, 
they are getting not enough time for these.

Type of family set up ie, secluded nuclear families,
lack of knowledge regarding age old practices in the field of agriculture,
non-availability of experts in related fields, scarcity of experienced laborers……etc.
 Lot of such problems exist in the present society.

For up-keeping our great cultural and traditional values for the coming generation…

To provide a dream place (not a resort) you love to spare with your family………………..

A small place, full of agricultural crops, Medicinal plants, Spices, Flowers, Animals, Birds, Butterflies  ……..etc.

I have a dream………………………

A project mainly aims for the conservation of different types of agricultural crops, Medicinal plants, Spices, Flowers, Animals, Birds, Butterflies and fishes.

There will be a few cottages, a club house and a dormitory.

Members of this community project and their friends can stay and learn about various agricultural crops, Spices, Medicinal plants and their method of cultivation and usage ..etc. They can enjoy vacations here as their own home.
It will be a great learning experience for children......

I said it a “DREAM”……

Because……

The estimated cost of the above project is around Rupees 35 Lakhs.

I do not have that much amount to spare for the project…..

Since it is not a profit-oriented project, approaching the public to collect the capital on share basis is not so easy……….

From my past experience, I feel I can complete this project within 3years……

But….

The Capital amount.....!!!!

I wish I can fulfill my dreams soon…

Soliciting all the blessings from you…..

                                     Manu Nair.

                                  manu33nair@gmail.com

Butterfly pea (Sankhu-pushpam.)



 
Butterfly pea


English:

Butterfly pea,

blue- pea vine.



Malayalam:

Sankhu-pushpam.



Bengali:

Aparojita



Botanic name:

Clitoria ternatea



Family:

Fabaceae





Butterfly pea is a climber plant that bears blue conch shaped inner part above blue or white lower petal. Leaves are green pinnately compound.

This plant  has much medicinal values.

Its flowers are rich in blue proanthocyanidin and also a natural antioxidant.
Butterfly pea
 

Dwarf white bauhinia (Vella mandaram)




 
Dwarf white bauhinia
English:
Dwarf white bauhinia

Malayalam:
Vella mandaram

Sanskrit:
Sweta kovithara

Botanic name:
Bauhinia acuminate

Family:
Fabaceae

It is an attractive garden shrub that grows to about six to eight feet tall .
Large white, star-shaped flowers are with five petals.
Leaves camel-foot shaped.
Fruits are pods.
It is  reported  that the Bauhinia acuminate leaves are having diuretic and demulcent properties.


Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Heliotropium indicum (Thekkada)




English :

Indian heliotrope,
Indian turnsole.

Malayalam:
Thekkada,
Thelkada,
Venapacha.

Hindi:
Hathsura,
Hattajuri.

Marathi:
Bharundi.

Gujarathi:
Hathi sundhara.

Bengali:
Hatisur.

Thamil:
Thel kodukku ,
Nakkipoo.

Kannada:
Chelukondi Gida

Botanic name:
Heliotropium indicum

Family:
Boraginaceae.

      

The name Heliotropium is derived from Greek word Helios ( means the Sun ) and Trope (Turning) it is belived that the flowers of this plant always turns towards the Sun.
 Heliotropium indicum is an annual, aromatic, hairy herb grows up to 50 cm height  with a woody base, grows on degraded land.

This plant yields an essential alkaloid.

Leaves and seeds are used in traditional medicines.