Thankuni or Asiatic pennywort, Centella asiatica

-

Thankuni or Asiatic pennywort (Centella asiatica, family: Umbelliferae) is an aquatic perennial herb with runner or stolon whose roots and leaves grows from each of its node. Stems are slender or slightly angular, green, sometimes reddish, soft, juicy and slightly hairy when young. The prostate or creeping plant is found everywhere near the water bodies, ditches and wet soils in Bangladesh. It is one of the traditional medicinal plants of the Indian subcontinent. The plant is native to South and Southeast Asia. Nowadays it has adapted itself to other tropics.

Other names: Thulkuri, Bromhobuti, Bromhokuti, Bromhoruti, Dolmanik, Dolpata (Bang); Manduki, Mandukparni (Sans); Indian pennywort, Spadeleaf (Eng).

Leaves are in clusters, 1-4, green, blade rounded with regularly serrated edge and palmate veins, 1-3 cm long and 1.5-6 cm wide, cordate at base, petoles are up to 10 cm long.

Flower are small, white-reddish, 3-6 on umbel inflorescence with long peduncle. Propagation of the aquatic plant is caused by stolon or runner and cuttings and sometimes by seeds too. Fruits are achene, orbicular and lobed, reddish or brown when dry.

It is used as brain tonic. Leaves are used in dysentery, dyspepsia, sore and skin diseases. It is also used in preventing hair loss, excessive sweating and bad smell of body, brightening skin and increasing physical strength. It is cultivated commercially somewhere in Bangladesh. It is consumed as vegetable in the country.

Synonyms: Centella asiatica var. crista Makino, Centella boninensis, Centella glochidiata, Centella hirtella, Centella tussilaginifolia, Centella ulugurensis, Centella uniflora, Chondrocarpus asiaticus, Chondrocarpus trifloru, Glyceria asiatica, Glyceria triflora, Hydrocotyle asiatica, Hydrocotyle asiatica var. floridana, Hydrocotyle asiatica var. monantha, Hydrocotyle biflora, Hydrocotyle brasiliensis, Hydrocotyle brevipedata, Hydrocotyle dentata, Hydrocotyle ficarifolia, Hydrocotyle ficarioides, Hydrocotyle ficarioides, Hydrocotyle filicaulis, Hydrocotyle hebecarpa, Hydrocotyle inaequipes, Hydrocotyle leptostachys, Hydrocotyle lunata, Hydrocotyle lurida, Hydrocotyle nummularioides, Hydrocotyle pallida, Hydrocotyle reniformis, Hydrocotyle repanda, Hydrocotyle sarmentosa, Hydrocotyle sylvicola, Hydrocotyle thunbergiana, Hydrocotyle triflora, Hydrocotyle tussilaginifolia, Hydrocotyle ulugurensis, Hydrocotyle uniflora, Hydrocotyle wightiana, Trisanthus cochinchinensis.

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