Family: Apocynaceae
Synonym: Marsdenia sylvestris (Retz.) P.I.Forst., Periploca sylvestris Retz.
Vernacular
name: Ashwagandha
Habit: Liana
Habitat: Scrub Jungle
Distribution: Tropical Africa, India, Sri Lanka
Flowering
and Fruiting:
August-March
Key
identification features:
Gurmar is a famed plant, revered for its use in treatment of diabetes for
nearly two millennia. The Hindi name Gurmar actually means diabetes killer. It
is a large climber, rooting at nodes. Leaves are elliptic, narrow tipped, base
narrow. Leaves are smooth above, and sparsely or densely velvety beneath. Pale
yellow flowers are small, in axillary and lateral umbel like cymes. Flowers are
pale yellow, bell-shaped.
Uses: Lower blood sugar levels by blocking
sugar absorption in the intestine and stimulating insulin production in the
pancreas.
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