Murba or Snake plant, Dracaena trifasciata

-

Murba or Snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata, family: Asparagaceae) is an annual rhizomatous herb without stem. It is one of the most attractive ornamental plants to gardeners that can grow with very little care. The leafy plant is drought tolerant and native to West Africa. As an ornamental plant it is found in gardens, medicinal gardens, parks, offices and road islands in Bangladesh.

Other names: Shutahar, Ghora-chokkro (Bang), Mother-in-law's tongue (Eng).

Leaves are long, twisted, thick, stiff, sword-like, 60-90 cm long and 4-6 cm wide, criss-crossed with numerous black and white stripes. A attractive variegated cultivar which is called Laurentii has yellow-colored edges and numerous black stripes. 

Flowers are greenish white, scented, clustered on long raceme inflorescence, bisexual. These bloom in spring.

Fruits are globose, berry, red or orange, 1-3 seeded. These ripen in the rainy season. Propagation is caused by cutting of leaves and rhizome division. 

It is used in breathing problem, tuberculosis and dry cough. Its roots are used in blood contamination, gonorrhea and leprosy. Net, hat, basket, mat can be made from its fibers. Fabrics are also made from its fibers somewhere in Central Asia. It can be planted as fence of garden or the boundary of home. It is also suitable for pot. It can be also kept as an indoor plant.

Synonyms: Sansevieria trifasciata, Sansevieria aureovariegata, Sansevieria jacquinii, Sansevieria laurentii, Sansevieria trifasciata 

Other plant of Asparagaceae family available in the site: Shotomuli or Shatawari, Asparagus racemosus

Comments

  1. Zinia NasrinDecember 25, 2022 at 10:13 PM

    Nice fruiting image. ঘোড়াচক্র? আমি অনেককে লিখতে দেখেছি-ঘোড়াচক্কর !!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mohammad AliDecember 25, 2022 at 10:24 PM

      আমি আসলে কোন্ সূত্র থেকে তা পেয়েছি মনে নেই।

      Delete

Post a Comment

Week Star

Makal or Mahakal, Trichosanthes tricuspidata

-
Image
Makal or Mahakal ( Trichosanthes tricuspidata , family: Cucurbitaceae) is a woody climber with tendril and branches, attaining a height of 10-12 m. The multiangular-branched plant climbs up very far by holding any tree in the forest. It is found in the hilly areas as well as plain forests and village thickets in Bangladesh. It is also found in Indian subcontinent, Australia and some countries of South and Southeast Asia.  According to ancient Sanskrit scriptures the other names of the plant are Bishala, Mohendro-baruni.  In the Himalayas it has been seen at an altitude of 5000 feet. There are many refferences to the fruit in Bangla and Sanskrit literature. Someone is very nice to look at but he/she is useless--writers usually jokingly give examples of this fruit. Its roots and attractive fruits are packed with medicinal properties.  The size and shape of leaves may vary. These are multilobed or trilobed, alternate, rough in both sides, 5-12 cm long, petioled, cor
Read more

Shachi or Sessile joyweed, Alternanthera sessilis

-
Image
Shachi or Sessile joyweed ( Alternanthera sessilis , family: Amaranthaceae) is a creeping sub-aquatic herb with many branches, attaining a height of 10-35 cm. The branches are formed in pairs from the nodes of the stems. Sometimes it lies on the ground by forming roots from the stem axil.  Other names:  Chanchi, Phul heicha, Haiccha, Shati shak.  Stem is glabrous and usally green but sometimes reddish. Young shoots are minutely hairy. The plant grows near water bodies, in fallow lands, on roadside, even on old wall. It is found everwhere in Bangladesh. It is also found in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Leaves are green, sessile, elliptic-oblanceolate, opposite, 5-6 cm long and 2.5-3.5 cm wide, undulated and dented irregularly, tip rounded.  The inflorescence, round in shape and white in color arises from the leaf axil. These are much like Maloncho (Alligator weed) . Florets are sessile, petals 5. It blooms almost round the year. F
Read more

Tomal or Mountain persimmon, Diospyros cordifolia

-
Image
Tomal  or  Mountain persimmon  ( Diospyros cordifolia,  family: Ebenaceae) is a deciduous small to medium-sized tree with spreading branches and blackish bark, sometimes thorny. This beautiful tree is native to Malaysia, Myanmar, Australia and is introduced to Bangladesh and other subcontinent countries. Not yellow, but black is the ripe fruit! Leaves are simple green, glabrous, petioled, alternate, lanceolate-cordate 5-10 cm long and 2-4 cm wide.  Flowers are small, whitish, with 4 petals. January-February is the flowering time. Male and female flowers usually grow singly from leaf axil while the male ones bloom in cluster on cyme inflorescence.  Poisonous fruit is berry, round,  fleshy  2.5 cm across. Half-matured fruits are ye llow and they turn purplish black when fully ripe. Propagation of the plant is caused by seeds. As a medicinal plant diospyros cordifolia is used in the treatment of fever, pneumonia and diarrhoea. Stout thorns
Read more