Sunday, June 9, 2024

Sphaeranthus africanus L.

 

Family: Asteraceae

Synonym: Sphaeranthus cochinchinensis Lour.,  Sphaeranthus glaber DC.

Vernacular name: Vella-adakkamaniyan, Velutha-adakkamaniyan (Malayalam)

Habit: Herb

Habitat: Paddy fields and marshy areas

Flowering & Fruiting: January-March

Distribution: Indo-Malesia, China and Australia

Key identification features: African Globe Thistle is a plant with usually robust stems, which are hairless or velvet-hairy, curved, ascending, branched, winged, wings entire. Stem leaves are obovate-oblong, velvety or becoming hairless. Inflorescence consists of clusters of white globose or ovoid flower-heads. Achenes cylindric, without pappus.

Uses: In Ayurveda, the plant is believed to pacify vitiated vata, pitta epilepsy, migraine, jaundice, fever, cough, hemorrhoids, helminthiasis, skin diseases and as nervine tonic.



No comments:

Post a Comment

Blechnum orientale L.

  Family : Blechnaceae  Habit : Subshrub Habitat : Wet tropical biome Distribution :   Western Australia and Southern Asia Flowering...