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Herbs & Plants

Symplocos paniculata

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Botanical Name : Symplocos paniculata
Family: Symplocaceae
Genus: Symplocos
Kingdom:Plantae
Order: Ericales

Common Names: Asiatic Sweetleaf, Sapphire-berry

Habitat :Symplocos paniculata is native to E. Asia – China, Japan, Korea, Himalayas. It grows in the forests and shrubberies at elevations of 1000 – 2700 metres, Pakistan to S. W. China and Burma. Slopes in mixed forests at elevations of 800 – 2500 metres.

Description:
Symplocos paniculata is a deciduous Shrub growing to 4 m (13ft) by 4 m (13ft).

It is in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen from Oct to December. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)The plant is not self-fertile. ...CLICK  & SEE  THE  PICTURES  
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid soils and can grow in very acid soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Cultivation:
Requires an acid soil and a sunny position. Succeeds in a sunny position in any well-drained fertile neutral to acid soil. One report says that plants are hardy to about -10°c, though it is also said that they can survive quite harsh winters outdoors in Britain but that they need a warm, sunny protected position and a hot summer if they are to fruit well. The fruits are sometimes spoiled by frosts. The flowers are sweetly fragrant. Self-sterile, it needs cross-pollination with a different plant in the same species if seed and fruit are to be produced. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.

Propagation:
Seed – best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed requires stratification and is best sown in a cold frame in late winter, it can take 12 months to germinate. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the cold frame for their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 – 10cm with a heel, July/August in individual pots in a cold frame. Roots are formed in about 4 weeks. Good percentage.
Edible Uses:... Fruit – cooked. Used in jams, jellies and sauce[183]. The fruit is about 8mm in diameter.

Medicinal Uses:
The bark is astringent, cooling and tonic. It is useful in the treatment of menorrhagia, bowel complaints, eye diseases and ulcers. It is also used as a gargle for giving firmness to spongy and bleeding gums. The juice of the bark is applied externally to sprains and muscular swellings.
Other Uses: …Dye; Mordant; Wood…..A yellow or red dye is obtained from the leaves and bark. We have no specific information for this species but many species in this genus contain alum and can be used as mordants when dyeing. Wood – white, soft to moderately hard. close grained, liable to twist and split when seasoning. Of possible use in turnery.

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/Symplocos
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_RST.htm
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Symplocos+paniculata

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Herbs & Plants

Saussurea diamantica

Botanical Name: Saussurea diamantica
Family: Asteraceae or Compositae
Tribe: Cynareae
Genus: Saussurea
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales

Common Names : Saussurea diamantica

Habitat : Saussurea diamantica is native to E. Asia – Korea.

Description:
Saussurea diamantica is a perennial plant. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects....CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

.
Cultivation & Propagation :
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Seed – we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame in the spring. Surface sow, or only just cover the seed, and make sure that the compost does not dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Division in spring might be possible.

Medicinal Uses: Nothing known

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glebionis_segetum
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Saussurea+diamantica

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Herbs & Plants

Liatris squarrosa

Botanical Name : Liatris squarrosa
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Eupatorieae
Genus: Liatris
Species: L. squarrosa
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales

Synonyms : L. squarrulosa. Laciniaria scariosa.

Common Names: Scaly blazingstar, Scaly blazing star, Alabama blazing star

Habitat : Liatris squarrosa is native to Eastern N. America – Ontario to Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, South Dakota and Texas. It grows in dry open woods, clearings and fields, chiefly argillaceous. Usually found on sandy soils.

Description:
Liatris squarrosa is a perennial plant, growing to 0.9 m (3ft).
It is in flower from Aug to September, and the seeds ripen in October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.It is noted for attracting wildlife.

Stems – To +60cm tall, erect, simple, single or multiple from a corm, herbaceous, glabrous to pilose (the hairs multicellular), terete, typically light green with darker vertical lines.
Leaves – Alternate, sessile, linear and grasslike, scabrous or not, glabrous to strigose hairy, entire, reduced upward, to +20cm long, 4-12mm broad. Veins of the leaves appearing parallel. Hairs multicellular as on the stem.

Involucre – To +/-1.8cm long (tall), +/-7mm in diameter, cylindric or slightly wider near the base. Phyllaries imbricate, the longest to -1.5cm long, 2-4mm broad, glabrous to pubescent externally, glabrous internally, with ciliate margins apically, abruptly short acuminate to acuminate at the apex, often dark purple at the apex in strong sun. The apices of the phyllaries somewhat to greatly spreading (depending on the variety).

Disk flowers – 10-60 per flowerhead. Corolla green basally, purplish in the apical half, 5-lobed, to 1.4cm long (including the lobes), glabrous externally, pubescent internally. Lobes to +/-4mm long, -1mm broad, acute, linear, with punctate glands externally (use a lens to see). Stamens 5, adnate at the middle of the corolla tube. Filaments white, glabrous, -2mm long. Anthers brown, connate around the style, 3mm long, mostly included. Style white basally, purple in the apical half, glabrous, +/-2cm long total, divided in the apical half, well exserted beyond the corolla. Pappus of purplish plumose bristles to +/-9mm long, uniseriate. The shaft of the bristle is purple the plumose hairs are white. Achene in flower ribbed, +/-5mm long, +/-1.2mm broad, antrorse pubescent.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

Cultivation:
Grows well in a moderately good light soil.Tolerates poor soils. Plants are prone to rot overwinter in wet soils. A good bee plant. Rodents are very fond of the tubers so the plants may require some protection.

Propagation:
Seed – best sown as soon as it is ripe in autumn in a greenhouse. Sow stored seed as soon as possible in the year in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow the plants on in the greenhouse for their first year. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Division in spring. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring. Basal cuttings taken in spring as growth commences. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.

Medicinal Uses:

Diuretic; Poultice; Tonic.

The root is diuretic and tonic. A poultice made from the roots is applied to snake bites.

Other Uses:.…Repellent……….The plant is used as an insect repellent in the clothes cupboard
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/Liatris_squarrosa
http://www.missouriplants.com/Pinkalt/Liatris_squarrosa_page.html
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Liatris+squarrosa

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Herbs & Plants

Liatris scariosa

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Botanical Name: Liatris scariosa
Family : Asteraceae or Compositae
Genus: Liatris
Species:  Liatris scariosa (L.) Willd. var. novae-angliae (Lunell)
Division:  Magnoliophyta – Flowering Plants
Class : Magnoliopsida
Sub Class : Asteridae
Order : Asterales

Synonyms : L. squarrulosa. Laciniaria scariosa.

Common Names: Devil’s Bite, New England blazing star, Savanna Blazingstar

Habitat : Liatris scariosa is native to South-eastern N. America. It grows in dry stony soils on prairies and open forest glades.

Description:
Liatris scariosa is a perennial plant. It grows 2½–5′ tall, erect, and unbranched. The central stem is medium green, glabrous to short-pubescent, and terete. Numerous alternate leaves are arranged densely around the stem; they are widely spreading. The lower leaves are up to 12″ long and 1½” across; they are broadly linear to elliptic oblong in shape. The middle to upper leaves become gradually smaller as they ascend the stem, becoming linear in shape and as little as 3″ long. All of the leaves are medium green and their margins are smooth; they are usually hairless, except for their margins, which are often slightly ciliate. The lower leaves usually have petioles, while the middle to upper leaves are sessile. The inflorescence consists of a narrow raceme of flowerheads up to 2′ long. The flowerheads begin to bloom from the top of inflorescence, then they gradually bloom below until the bottom is reached. Each inflorescence has 10-40 flowerheads. Each flowerhead is located at the apex of an ascending stalk (peduncle) about ½–3½” long; a stalk may branch to produce 2-3 flowerheads, but this is atypical. At the base of each stalk, there is a sessile leafy bract that resembles the upper leaves. Both the central stalk and lateral stalks of the raceme are short-pubescent .

Individual flowerheads span 1-2″ across, consisting of 25-80 pink disk florets and no ray florets. The tubular disk florets have 5 spreading narrow lobes. The bifurcated styles are light pink and strongly exerted from the disk florets, providing the flowerheads with a shaggy appearance. At the base of each flowerhead, there are scale-like floral bracts (phyllaries) that are arranged together in about 5 overlapping series; they are ascending to slightly spreading, but neither recurved nor appressed. Individual floral bracts are oval or obovate in shape and ciliate along their margins; they become dark reddish purple when their flowerheads bloom, otherwise they are dull green. The blooming period occurs from late summer to mid-fall and lasts about 1½ months. The disk florets are replaced by bullet-shaped achenes, which have tufts of barbed tawny hairs. The root system consists of a bulb-like corm with fibrous roots. Vegetative offsets are produced from new corms.
It is in flower from Aug to September, and the seeds ripen in October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.It is noted for attracting wildlife….CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

Cultivation :
Grows well in a moderately good light soil. Tolerates poor soils. Plants are prone to rot overwinter in wet soils. There are several named varieties, selected for their ornamental value. A good bee plant. Rodents are very fond of the tubers so the plants may require some protection.

Propagation ;
Seed – best sown as soon as it is ripe in autumn in a greenhouse. Sow stored seed as soon as possible in the year in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow the plants on in the greenhouse for their first year. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Division in spri. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring. Basal cuttings taken in spring as growth commences. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.

Medicinal Uses:
Appetizer; Diuretic; Poultice; Tonic.

The root is appetizer, diuretic and tonic. It is used in the treatment of abdominal complaints, kidney and bladder problems. A poultice made from the powdered roots is applied to snake bites and external inflammations.

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.newyork.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=492
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Liatris+scariosa
http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/savanna/plants/sv_blazingstar.htm

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Herbs & Plants

Desert Rose

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Botanical Name:Adenium obesum
Family: Apocynaceae
Synonyms:  Adenium somalense Balf.f. (1888), Adenium socotranum Vierh.
Common Name:Sabi Star, Kudu or Desert-rose.Due to its resemblance to plumeria, and the fact that it was introduced to the Philippines from Bangkok, Thailand, the plant was also called as Bangkok kalachuchi in the Philippines.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Gentianales
Genus: Adenium
Species: A. obesum

Habitat:It is native to tropical and subtropical eastern and southern Africa and Arabia.(Eastern Africa to southern Arabia)

Description:
Succulent shrub or small tree, up to 4(–6) m tall, sometimes with a fleshy taproot; stem swollen at base up to 1(–2) m in diameter; bark pale greyish-green, grey or brown, smooth, with sticky, clear or white latex; branchlets glabrescent, pubescent at apex. Leaves arranged spirally, clustered at the end of branchlets, simple; stipules minute or absent; petiole up to 4 mm long; blade linear to obovate, 3–12(–17) cm × 0.2–6 cm, base cuneate, apex acute to rounded or emarginate, entire, slightly glaucous, dull green or pale green, leathery, pinnately veined with distinct or indistinct lateral veins. Inflorescence a more or less dense terminal cyme; bracts linear to narrowly oblong, 3–8 mm long, acuminate, pubescent. Flowers bisexual, regular, 5-merous, showy, usually appearing before the leaves; pedicel 5–9 mm long; sepals narrowly oblong to narrowly ovate, 6–12 mm long, hairy; corolla with funnel-shaped tube 2–4.5 cm × 0. 9–1.7 cm, reddish-pink to white suffused with pink, sometimes red-striped inside the throat, hairy to glabrous outside, glandular hairy on main veins inside, lobes 1–3 cm × 0.5–2.5 cm, spreading, pale pink to red with darker margins; stamens inserted near base of corolla tube, included or exserted, anthers forming a cone covering the pistil, base sagittate, 5–7 mm long, with long apical appendices; ovary superior, composed of 2 free carpels, glabrous, styles fused, slender, with well-developed clavuncula. Fruit consisting of 2 linear-oblong follicles, coherent at the base, 11–22 cm long, tapering at both ends, recurved, grey to pale grey-brown, opening by a longitudinal slit, many-seeded. Seeds linear-oblong, 10–14 mm long, pale brown, slightly rough, with tufts of long dirty white hairs at both ends.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

Adenium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae, containing a single species, Adenium obesum, also known as Sabi Star, Kudu or Desert-rose.
It is an evergreen succulent shrub in tropical climates and semi-deciduous to deciduous in colder climates, is also dependent on the subspecies or cultivar. Growing to 1–3 m in height, with pachycaul stems and a stout, swollen basal caudex. The leaves are spirally arranged, clustered toward the tips of the shoots, simple entire, leathery in texture, 5–15 cm long and 1–8 cm broad. The flowers are tubular, 2–5 cm long, with the outer portion 4–6 cm diameter with five petals, resembling those of other related genera such as Plumeria and Nerium. The flowers tend to red and pink, often with a whitish blush outward of the throat.Classification


Cultivation and uses

Adenium is a popular houseplant in temperate regions. It requires a sunny location and a minimum indoor temperature in winter of 10 °C. It thrives on a xeric watering regime as required by cacti. Adenium is typically propagated by seed or stem cuttings. The numerous hybrids are propagated mainly by grafting onto seedling rootstock. While plants grown from seed are more likely to have the swollen caudex at a young age, with time many cutting-grown plants cannot be distinguished from seedlings.

The plant exudes a highly toxic sap which is used by some peoples, such as the Akie and Hadza in Tanzania, to coat arrow-tips for hunting.

Propagation: Cuttings, seeds

Properities:
In Adenium obesum the presence of some 30 cardiotoxic glycosides has been demonstrated, which act in a similar way as digitalis from Digitalis. Digitalis acts upon the Na+K+-ATPase enzyme that regulates the concentrations of Na+ and K+ ions in body cells and so also modifies the Ca++ concentration. In low doses it is used to treat congestive heart failure (CHF) and heart rhythm problems (atrial arrhythmias), but in high doses it leads to systolic heart failure and death.
Several of the cardiac glycosides from Adenium obesum have oleandrigenin as aglycone moiety, e.g. hongheloside A (with D-cymarose), hongheloside C (with D-cymarose and D-glucose) and 16-acetylstrospeside (with D-digitalose). Other glycosides include: hongheline (composed of digitoxigenin with D-thevetose), somaline (composed of digitoxigenin with D-cymarose) and digitalinum verum (composed of gitoxigenin with D-digitalose and D-glucose). The roots and stems contain the same glycosides and in similar amounts. Oleandrigenin and some of the glycosides derived from it have cytotoxic effects and are being studied as potential components of anticancer drugs.
The ethanol extract of the roots slows down the growth of Bacillus subtilis, but has not shown activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus or Candida albida. Extracts from the root have shown a cytotoxic effect against several carcinoma cell lines. The aqueous stem bark extract is a potential acaricide as it shows high toxicity on all stadia of development of the ticks Amblyomma spp. and Boophilus spp.

Uses
In a wide area of Africa the root sap or sometimes the wood or stem latex of Adenium obesum is used to prepare arrow poison. The poison is popular for hunting large game as it kills quickly and the hunted animal dies within 2 km from the place where it was shot. The Hadza people of Tanzania use the sap by itself or sometimes in combination with poison from Strophanthus eminii Asch. & Pax, while the Duruma people of Kenya use the stem latex, sometimes in combination with the roots and wood of Acokanthera schimperi (A.DC.) Schweinf. or the latex of Synadenium pereskiifolium (Baill.) Guillaumin. The use of Adenium obesum arrow poison is also reported from Senegal, Nigeria and Cameroon. A decoction of the bark and leaves is widely used as fish poison. This use is reported from Nigeria, Cameroon and East Africa. In Mauritania and Senegal preparations from Adenium obesum are used as ordeal poison and for criminal purposes.

Medicinal Uses:
Adenium obesum is important in traditional medicine. In the Sahel a decoction from the roots, alone or in combination with other plants, is used to treat venereal diseases; a root or bark extract is used as a bath or lotion to treat skin diseases and to kill lice, while latex is applied to decaying teeth and septic wounds. In Somalia a root decoction as nose drops is prescribed for rhinitis. In northern Kenya latex is rubbed on the head against lice and powdered stems are applied to kill skin parasites of camels and cattle. The bark is chewed as an abortifacient.
Adenium obesum is planted fairly frequently for its curious form and attractive flowers. Sometimes it is planted as a live fence. In Tanzania it is planted to mark the position of graves. The wood is sometimes used as fuel.

Classification
The genus Adenium has been held to contain as many as twelve species. These are considered by other authors to be subspecies or varieties. A late-20th-century classification by Plazier recognizes five species.

A partial list of regional species/subspecies/varieties are:

Adenium obesum subsp. boehmianum. Namibia, Angola.
Adenium obesum subsp. obesum. Arabia.
Adenium obesum subsp. oleifolium. South Africa, Botswana.
Adenium obesum subsp. socotranum. Socotra.
Adenium obesum subsp. somalense. Eastern Africa.
Adenium obesum subsp. swazicum. Eastern South Africa.
Adenium obesum subsp. arabicum. Arabia.
Adenium multiflorum. Southern Africa, from Zambia south
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://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adenium
http://database.prota.org/PROTAhtml/Adenium%20obesum_En.htm
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Apocynaceae/Adenium_obesum.html

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