Strychnos nux-vomica L.

 

Family: Loganiaceae

Synonym: Strychnos nux-vomica var. oligosperma Dop 

Vernacular name: Etti, Kangnalam, Kanjiram, Kanniram, Kariram

Habit: Tree

Habitat: Moist and dry deciduous forests, also in the plains

Distribution: India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Indo-China and Malesia

Flowering and Fruiting: March-December

Key identification features: Trees, to 20 m high, with yellowish or blackish-grey bark. Leaves elliptic, shiny, and coriaceous. Flowers bisexual, greenish-white, with berry-like fruits.

Uses: The seed contains a chemical called `strychnine' extensively used for preparation of medicines. It is used as a remedy in chronic dysentery, paralytic and neuralgic disorders etc.

 

Yamazakia viscosa (Hornem.) W.R.Barker, Y.S.Liang & Wannan

 

Family: Linderniaceae

Synonym: Lindernia viscosa var. glabra T.Yamaz. 

Vernacular name: Sticky False Pimpernel

Habit: Herb

Habitat: Wet areas in moist deciduous forests, also in the plains

Distribution: Indo-Malesia, Australia, and Pacific Islands

Flowering and Fruiting: July-October

Key identification features: Erect or diffuse hirsute annual herbs, rooting at lower nodes. Inflorescence a terminal lax, many-flowered raceme; peduncle sparsely glandular-pubescent; Corolla upper lip pale brown, lower lip white with yellow spots at mouth. Fruit is a capsule.

Uses: It is used as an ornamental plant in gardens and landscapes. It is also used in traditional medicine to treat various ailments such as fever, headache, and stomachache.

Yamazakia pusilla (Willd.) W.R.Barker, Y.S.Liang & Wannan

 

Family: Linderniaceae

Synonym: Lindernia caespitosa (Blume) Panigrahi 

Vernacular name: Tiny Slitwort

Habit: Herb

Habitat: Paddy fields, wet places, near beels

Distribution: Tropical & Subtropical Asia to Northern Australia

Flowering and Fruiting: August-December

Key identification features: It is an annual herb, up to a foot tall, spreading, sometimes carrying long runners. Flowers are borne at branch-ends, in umbel- or raceme-like 3-5-flowered clusters. Flowers are blue purple. Fruit is a capsule.

Uses: The leaves are eaten as a condiment and as a pot herb. It is used to treat dysentery and other intestinal problems. A decoction of the leaves is given after childbirth.

 

Torenia bicolor Dalzell

 

Family: Linderniaceae

Synonym:  No synonym

Vernacular name: Kakkapoovu

Habit: Herb

Habitat: Open moist places along the ghats and in coastal plains

Distribution: W. India

Flowering and Fruiting: Throughout the year

Key identification features: This herb has a stem with four angles, and it is ciliate. The leaves are triangular-ovate. The leaves are covered in fine hairs. The axillary flowers occur either solitary or in pairs. The corolla can be either deep purple or have a yellowish tube with deep purple lobes. There are 4 stamens, which are didynamous. Fruit is a capsule.

 Uses: The leaves are eaten as a condiment and as a pot herb. It is used to treat dysentery and other intestinal problems. A decoction of the leaves is given after childbirth.

Torenia anagallis (Burm.f.) Wannan, W.R.Barker & Y.S.Liang

 

Family: Linderniaceae

Synonym: Vandellia anagallis (Burm.f.) T.Yamaz. 

Vernacular name: Pimpernel Lindernia

Habit: Herb

Habitat: Banks of streams and marshy areas

Distribution: Tropical & Subtropical Asia to North Australia

Flowering and Fruiting: July-December

Key identification features: Diffuse herbs, rooting at lower nodes, then ascending. Flowers white or pink, axillary, solitary or rarely 2-per node; Capsule linear, glabrous, much exceeding the calyx. Seeds ellipsoid.

Uses: It is used as a remedy for gonorrhoea.It is used as a diuretic in nephritis, and also for furuncles and carbuncles. The entire plant is used for asthma.

Lindernia hyssopioides (L.) Haines

 

Family: Linderniaceae

Synonym: Ilysanthes hyssopioides (L.) Benth. 

Vernacular name: Hyssop Lindernia

Habit: Herb

Habitat: Small ponds and marshy areas

Distribution: India, Southeast Asia, Malesia, China

Flowering and Fruiting: March-September

Key identification features: Slender erect herbs; up to 40 cm tall; stem 4-angled, simple or diffusely branched. Leaves linear-lanceolate, basal ones elliptic-ovate, Flowers axillary, solitary; Corolla pale lilac or bluish, ovoid-ellipsoid, twice as long as the fruiting calyx. Seeds yellow, oblong, longitudinally ridged.

Uses: The aerial parts are widely used in poultices for relieving boils, sores and itches.

 

Bonnaya ciliata (Colsm.) Spreng.

 

Family: Linderniaceae

Synonym: Vandellia ciliata (Colsm.) T.Yamaz. 

Vernacular name: Chiravanaak

Habit: Herb

Habitat: Moist deciduous forests and wet localities in the plains

Distribution: Malaysia, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, Northern Australia

Flowering and Fruiting: June-October

Key identification features: Small erect annual herbs. Flowers in lax terminal racemes; Corolla pink or bluish-pink, Capsule linear, septum winged, exceeding the fruiting calyx. Seeds black.

Uses: The sap from the crushed leaves is given after childbirth. The plant is also considered an effective cure for menorrhagia.