Lal bichuti or Hawaiian wood-nettle, Laportea interrupta

-

Lal bichuti or Hawaiian wood-nettle (Laportea interrupta, family: Urticaceae) is a slightly woody herb covered with hairs all of its body. The plant does not reach a height of more than 1.5 m. The annual erect herb has stinging hairs. Stem, petiole, and spike are reddish, stem quadrangular. It mainly loves to grow in damp places, specially on fallow land, old wall and beside the roads in Bangladesh. Outside the country, it is found in South and Southeast Asia, Australia and Southwest Pacific islands.  

Other names: Choto chutra, Chotrapata, Chutrapata, Chutka,  Panchotra (Bang); Hen's nettle, Stinging nettle (Eng).

Leaves cuase itching in contact a body. These are hairy and shiny green, ovate, cordate at base, acute at end, 6-10 cm long and 4-6 cm wide, alternate, deeply and regularly dented. Petiole is reddish and very long. 

Flowers are tiny, greenish, petals 4, sepals 4; in axillary inflorescences. Spike is very long, 5-28 cm. The flowers are usually unisexual and the female and male flowers grow on the same plant. Fruits are achene, tiny. Flowering occurs in rainy season. It is propagated by seeds.

It is used in whooping cough, stomach-aches, asthma etc. Roots are used to destroy insects and pests. Although it can cause itching but it is quite a beautiful plant. It can be planted in the garden as a pot plant.

Synonyms: Boehmeria interrupta, Boehmeria javanica, Boehmeria spicata, Fleurya glomerata, Fleurya interrupta, Fleurya spicata, Fleurya spicata var. interrupta, Schychowskia interrupta, Urtica affinis, Urtica capitata, Urtica gaudichaudii, Urtica interrupta, Urtica javanica, Urtica lomatocarpa, Urtica racemosa, Urtica sessiliflora, Urtica spicigera. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Week Star

Parul or Fragrant padri tree, Stereospermum chelonoides

-
Image
Parul or Fragrant padri tree ( Stereospermum chelonoides , family: Bignoniaceae) is a medium or large-sized deciduous tree with branches, attaining a height of 25 m. Young shoots are pubescent. Bark is grey.  About this flower, a kind of literary madness has been found for a long period of time among the Bengalees. Although it is mentioned numerous times in Bangla literature, the tree is quite difficult to find in Bangladesh.  The great news is, 5 of its trees are found in the courtyard of Bangladesh Security Printing Press School in Gajipur. India is the original home of the plant. Leaves are compound, 60 cm long; leaflets are entire, 5-11, deep green, glabrous, petioled, elliptic-oblong, 10-15 cm long and 3-6 cm wide, apex acuminate. Flowers are sweet-scented, purplish, yellow at center, campunulate, 3-5 cm long, curved at the base and bronze in color, on terminal panicle; corolla tubular with short petals, petals 5. Flower buds are black a...
Read more

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,...
Read more

Kulekhara or Talmakhna, Hygrophila auriculata

-
Image
Kulekhara or Talmakhna ( Hygrophila auriculata , family: Acanthaceae) is a stout and erect herb with straight and undivided stem. The spiny plant is very popular as a medicinal plant in Bangladesh as well as the Indian subcontinent. Other names: Kulekkha, Kuiley-rekha,  Kanta kalika, Shoolmordon. Leaves are lanceolate, subsessile, acute at both ends with long whitish hairs, dense with straight and stout thorns that grow from each node. Outer leaves are longer than the inner ones. Both leaves and thorns remain in upward direction.   Flowers in axillary whorls. They are bright violet or bluish purple and red, sometimes whitish with soft and minor hair, corolla 2-lipped. Flower blooms in the winter. Fruit a capsule, 4-8-seeded. Seeds are ovoid (not in the pic). The body of the plant contains alkaloids, phytosterols, stigmasterol, lupeol and essential oils. Its seeds contain oil, enzymes and sterols. The plant is cooling and diuretic...
Read more