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Herbs & Plants

Apluda mutica

Botanical Name :Apluda mutica L.
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Apluda
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Poales

Synonyms:
*Calamina P.Beauv.
*Calamina mutica (L.) P.Beauv.
*Apluda varia Hack.
*Apluda aristata L.
*Andropogon glaucus Retz.
*Apluda glauca (Retz.) Schreb.
*Apluda villosa Schreb.
*Calamina gigantea P.Beauv.
*Apluda geniculata Roxb.
*Apluda gigantea (P.Beauv.) Spreng.
*Tripsacum giganteum (P.Beauv.) Raspail

Common Names: Mauritian Grass
• Hindi: Tachula, Tachhila, Pongta, Poleda, Bhongta, Bhongla
• Kannada: Akku hullu, Kaadu hanchi hullu
*Lodha:Tati

Dhudhia – Munda:gauri
*Santali:Chofki.

Habitat:
Apluda mutica is native to Central Asia, China (incl Taiwan + Tibet), Japan (incl Ryukyu Islands), Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Caroline Islands, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion, Socotra, Oman.

Description:
Apluda mutica is a large annual or Perennial grass. Culms scandent, or decumbent, or prostrate; 30-300 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base tapering to the midrib. Leaf-blades 5-25 cm long; 2-10 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform, base tapering to the midrib.

Leaves : 10 – 45 x 0.25 – 1.8 cm, flat, linear, lanceolate, petiolate, sheaths long smooth, ligule oblong, lacerate.

Inflorescence :
Variable or spikelets clustered on short peduncles, the clusters solitary or few or very numerous and arranged in elongate very contracted panicles; rachis slender, glabrous, bracts sessile or pedicellate.

Spikes longer or shorter than the bracts with rounded base.
Sessile spikelets 0.3 – 0.5cm long

Flowers : Upper floral glume 3 – 5 nerved, below the sinus, the lateral nerves arching and meeting the midnerve at the insertion of the awn.

Flowering and Fruiting time : August – December

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This is one of the few grasses with tapering leaf base sometimes almost into a petiole. This character in combination with clusters of three spikelets each within spathes occurs only in Apluda mutica.

Medicinal Uses: Young plant (ca. 10 gm) made into paste, applied on the mouth to cure fungus infection by the Santals. Whole plant washed
clearly and about 20 gm of such plant made into paste, used as balm on the paralytic part of the patient to get back its sensation by the
Lodhas. Fresh root (ca. 15-20 gm) made into paste, applied on the mouth sores of the cattle by the Mundas.

Other Uses: It is considered to be a good fodder, especially for buffaloes when young and green.internodes are very long.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apluda
http://plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:389110-1
https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/species/m—z/po/poaceae/apluda-mutica/apluda-mutica
http://www.efloraofgandhinagar.in/grasses/apluda-mutica

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