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Berberis Jaeschkeana

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Botanical Name :Berberis jaeschkeana
Family : Berberidaceae
Subfamily: Berberidoideae
Tribe: Berberideae
Subtribe: Berberidinae.

Genus : Berberis

Habitat: E. Asia – Himalayas in Kashmir.  Found at elevations of 2,700 – 4,000 metres in the Himalayas.

Description:
A decidious Shrub growing to 0.75m.
It is hardy to zone 0. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.

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The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Cultivation
Prefers a warm moist loamy soil and light shade but it is by no means fastidious, succeeding in thin, dry and shallow soils. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Plants can be pruned back quite severely, they resprout well from the base. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus.

Propagation
Seed – best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, when it should germinate in late winter or early spring . Seed from over-ripe fruit will take longer to germinate  whilst stored seed may require cold stratification and should be sown in a cold frame as early in the year as possible[80]. The seedlings are subject to damping off, so should be kept well ventilated. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame. If growth is sufficient, it can be possible to plant them out into their permanent positions in the autumn, but generally it is best to leave them in the cold frame for the winter and plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season’s growth, preferably with a heel, October/November in a frame.

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Fruit.( raw or cooked.)

Medicinal Actions & Uses
Antibacterial; Cancer.

Berberine, universally present in rhizomes of Berberis species, has marked antibacterial effects. Since it is not appreciably absorbed by the body, it is used orally in the treatment of various enteric infections, especially bacterial dysentery. It should not be used with Glycyrrhiza species (Liquorice) because this nullifies the effects of the berberine. Berberine has also shown antitumour activity.

Other Uses:
Dye. : A yellow dye is obtained from the root.

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:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Berberis+jaeschkeana
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Berberis_jaeschkeana

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Herbs & Plants

Banyan

Botanical Name: Ficus benghalensis
Family:    Moraceae
Genus:    Ficus
Species:F. benghalensis
Kingdom:Plantae
Order:Rosales

Common Names:  Indian banyan ‘Bengal fig’ and ‘Indian fig’. In Bengali it called Bot language, it is known as bat. In Tamil, it is known as aalamaram. In Telugu, it is known as marrichettu. Sanskrit names include nyagrodha and vata. In Kannada it is known as aalada mara. In Malayalam it is known as aalmaram or Peraal and in Punjabi It is known as “bodha”

Habitat :Banyan tree is native to  India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, but has been imported in other tropical regions. It is also the national tree of India. The first banyan tree in the U.S. was planted by Thomas Alva Edison in Fort Myers, Florida. It was given to Edison by Harvey Firestone after Firestone visited India in 1925 and was planted in the Edison and Ford Winter Estates. The tree, originally only 4 feet tall, now covers 400 feet.

Description:
Banyan tree is     a evergreen tree with spreading, often horizontal branches supported by prop roots. Bears elliptic to broadly ovate, leathery, deep green leaves, flushed bronze when young and with a distinct pattern of pale veins when mature. Spherical red figs are borne in pairs.It can grow 20 to 30m, the foilage color is dark green.

They are large trees that usually start life as a seedling growing on another tree (or on structures like buildings and bridges), where a fig-eating bird has deposited the seed. The roots descend over the trunk of the host, seeking out the soil below. Once they have rooted into this, the fig roots rapidly thicken and lignify (become wooden). Where the fig roots cross each other they fuse, thus creating a lattice around the host tree trunk. The fig competes with its host for light, water and nutrients, while its roots prevent the host trunk from growing. Eventually the host dies and rots away, leaving the fig self supporting as an ordinary tree, but with a tubular lattice of lignified roots instead of a trunk. For this reason banyans are often referred to as strangler figs.....click & see

Another unusual feature of the banyan is its ability to produce adventitious roots from the branches. This characteristic of developing aerial roots allows a single tree to spread over a large area. One famous banyan tree was planted in 1873 in Lahaina’s Courthouse Square in Hawai’i, and has grown to now cover two-thirds of an acre.

Like other members of this genus (which includes the common edible fig Ficus carica), banyans have a unique fruit and insect mediated fertilization process.

List of species:     The Indian Banyan (Ficus benghalensis) can grow into a giant tree covering several hectares. The Great Banyan in the Indian Botanic Garden, Howrah, is reckoned to be the largest tree in the world.

The Chinese Banyan (Ficus microcarpa), also known as the Malayan Banyan is native from Ceylon to India, southern China, the Malay Archipelago, the Ryukyu Islands, Australia, and New Caledonia.
The Central American Banyan (Ficus pertusa) is native to Central America and northern South America, from southern Mexico south to Paraguay.

Medicinal  Uses:

The banyan has many medical qualities. It is used in the traditional medicine for the treatment of several ailments.

Skin disorders: The banyan fruit exercises a soothing effect on the skin and mucous membrances and alleviates pain and swelling. It serves as a mild purgative too.

Arresting bleeding: The bark and the leaf bus of the banyan tree is very useful in preventing bleeding.

Diabetes: An infusion of the bark is a specific medicine for diabetes.

Vomiting: The tender ends of the aerial root can be taken in obstinate vomiting.

Dysentery & Chronic Diarhhoea: The leaf buds of the banyan tree are beneficial in thr treatment dysentery and chronic diarhhoea.

Luocorrhoea: A regular douching of genital tract with a decoction of the bark of the banyan tree and the fig tree is very helpful in lucorrhoea.

Rheumatic pain: The latex is commonly used locally for rheumatic pain and lumbago.A few drops of latex of the banyan tree mixed with milk is beneficial to cure bleeding piles.

Kibes – The cracking of heels : To deal with the problem it is useful to fill the cracks with the sap of banyan tree.

Female Sterility: Tender roots of banyan tree are considered beneficial in the treatment of female sterility.A hot polutice of the banyan leaves can be applied with beneficial to abscesses to promote suppuration and to hasten their breaking.

Warts: The milky juice from the fresh green banyan leaves is useful to destroy warts.

Ulcers: The latex of the banyan tree is commonly used locally for ulcers,bruises and sores.

Teeth Disorders: Cleaning the teeth with the arial roots of the banyan tree is beneficial in preventing teeth and gum disorders.

Leaves of banyan tree yield ficusin and bergaptene . Latex of the tree is very much toxic

Other Uses:
Banyan tree is the National tree of the Republic of India.It’s huge spreaded structures gives shade to birds & graging cattles,the fruit is eaten by birds & squirrels,leaves are eaten by goats & cows..

Known Hazards:  The foliage and milky sap of all figs can sometimes be an irritant to skin and eyes for especially sensitive people, but most people are not effected.

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:   Help taken from :en.wikipedia.org and book named miracles of herbs

http://mobile.floridata.com/Plants/Moraceae/Ficus%20benghalensis/802

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