Tag: Phylum

Categories
Herbs & Plants

Dioscorea hispida

Botanical Name :Dioscorea hispida
Family : Dioscoreaceae – Yam family
Genus :  Dioscorea L. – yam
Species : Dioscorea hispida Dennst. – intoxicating yam
Kingdom ; Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom :Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision:  Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division : Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class : Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Subclass : Liliidae
Order : Liliales

Synonyms:  Dioscorea triphylla L., Dioscorea hirsuta Dennst.,Dinoscorea daemona Roxb

Common Names:
Malaysia:Ubi arak,gandongan,gandong mabok
English :Asiatic bitter yam, intoxicating yam
Indonesia: Gadung, Sikapa,ondo
Philippines:Nami,gayos,karot
Myanmar:Kywe
Thiland:Kloi,kloi-nok, kloi-hanieo

Habitat :Dioscorea hispida is native to India, South east Asia, China and Nuw Guinea.Growing wild, chiefly in thickets and forests at low and medium altitudes throughout the Philippines.

Description:
Dioscorea hispida is a twining vine, arising from tuberous roots, and reaching a length of several meters. Stems covered with few or many short, sharp spines. Leaves are 3-foliolate, the leaflets 12 to 20 cm long, somewhat hairy, the lateral ones oblique, oblong-ovate, the terminal one equilateral, oblong to oblong-obovate. Panicle is axillary, slender, hairy, 12 to 20 cm long. Flowers are small; unisexual male flowers with 6 stamens; female flowers similar to males, 3-winged, 3-celled, ovules 2 in each cell. Fruit is a capsule, oblong and about 5 cm long. Flesh and sap of tubers are yellowish. click to see

Click to see the pictures…..

Edible Uses:
– Despite known toxicity, in Thailand, where it is referred to as Kloi, tubers are used to make a dessert called Kao Nuew Kloi.
– In Kerala, India, tuberous herb cooked with salt, chili, tamarind and tumeric powder and used as curry.

Constituents:
– Contains a poisonous alkaloid, dioscoreine, acting like picrotoxin.
– Study of mineral content reports the tubers are a good source of phosphorus, calcium and iron.

Medicinal Uses:
Tuber, relieves abdominal spasms and colic; fry in vegetable oil, topically apply to remove pus from wounds, clears melasma. Toxic substances such as dioscorine were found in tubers which cause palpitations, nausea, vomiting, throat irrita­tion, sweating, blurred vision and unconscious­ness.

Folkloric
Tuber, raw or cooked used as anodyne and maturative for tumors and buboes.
Also used arthrtic and rheumatic pains. sprains and contusions.
Use poultice of freshly pounded material or decoction as external wash.
In Johore, decoction of tuber used as alterative and diuretic in chronic rheumatism.

Other Uses:
• Bleaching: Yellow juice from the flesh and sap of tubers is used for bleaching clothes and abaca fibers.
• Poison: Juice of tubers used in criminal poisoning. Also, used as an ingredient together with Antiaris toxicaria in the preparation of arrow poisons.
• Livestock: Tubers used as cure for myiasis of the scrotum in carabaos.

Studies:
• Phytochemicals / Phenolic Content: Study showed phenolic acids were present in only small amounts in Kloi tuber, compared to relatively high phenolic content for other yam Dioscorea species. The anomaly was attributed to the sample preparation, hydrolysis time and/or pH. Preliminary findings and documented nutritive value suggest the tuber as a potential source of phytochemicals for cosmetic, pharmaceutical or dietary antioxidant use.

Caution !
– Tubers contain the poisonous alkaloid dioscoreine, resembling picrotoxin.
– It is a nervous system paralyzant, not a protoplasmic poison.
– It has been reportedly used in criminal poisoning.

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

Resources:
http://www.stuartxchange.org/Nami.html
http://www.globinmed.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79533:dioscorea-hispida-dennst&catid=368:d
http://herbstohealth.blogspot.com/2009/04/dioscorea-hispida-dennstkloi.html
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=DIHI7
http://herbstohealth.blogspot.com/2009/04/dioscorea-hispida-dennstkloi.html

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
Categories
Herbs & Plants

Artemisia tilesii

[amazon_link asins=’B00016XCBW,B016LBZSDK,B000S85H5C,B000S92RNQ,B000S86RYM,B002DY1G7W,B001UJH8Y6,B007P5NOF6,B006EVHJEE’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’b44f2422-fe46-11e6-9381-05f7932a7089′]

Botanical  Name : Artemisia tilesii

Family : Asteraceae – Aster family
Genus : Artemisia L. – sagebrush
Species : Artemisia tilesii Ledeb. – Tilesius’ wormwood
Kingdom : Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom : Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision : Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division : Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class : Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass : Asteridae
Order : Asterales

Synonyms :Artemisia unalaskensis. Rydb.

Common Names :Tilesius’ wormwood, Aleutian mugwort.

Habitat : Native to E. Asia to North-western N. America. Grows in Open rocky or gravelly wet or dry sites, mostly at rather high elevations in the mountains, but descending at times to sea level, N. Montana to Alaska.

Description:
Artemisia tilesii is a perennial herb  growing to 1.5 m (5ft). It has  aromatic leaves, variable foliage. The genus, Artemisia, named after the Greek goddess of female energies. Artemisia includes wormwoods, absinth, sagebrush, mugwort, and tarragon. They are all aromatic and bitter herbs and shrubs.

click to see the pictures..
Stem is erect, a tall plant from 2′ to 4′, branched, from slender rhizome.The flowers are  yellowish-brown or yellowish-green, very small on many branched flower spikes that look like the center of a daisy, nodding, bracts have broad, dark margins.and the leaves are  large, dark green and shiny above, whitish gray, woolly beneath, deeply cut into 3 to 5 lobes, with slender sharp tips.

The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil.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 and can tolerate drought.

Cultivation:
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Easily grown in a well-drained circumneutral or slightly alkaline loamy soil, preferring a warm sunny dry position. Established plants are drought tolerant. Plants are longer lived, more hardy and more aromatic when they are grown in a poor dry soil. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.

Propagation:
Seed – surface sow from late winter to early summer in a greenhouse, making sure that the compost does not dry out. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Division in spring or autumn. Basal cuttings in late spring. Harvest the young shoots when about10 – 15cm long, pot up in a lightly shaded position in a greenhouse or cold frame and plant them out when well rooted. Very easy.

Edible Uses:
Edible Parts: Condiment.

The leaves are used for flavouring rice dumplings. The raw shoots are peeled and eaten, usually with oil.

Medicinal Uses:
Analgesic;  Antirheumatic;  Antitumor;  Disinfectant;  Haemostatic;  Laxative;  Poultice;  Skin;  Stomachic;  Tonic.

The plant is antirheumatic, antitumor, disinfectant, febrifuge, haemostatic, laxative and tonic. It is used in the treatment of cancer and to prevent infections in wounds etc. An infusion of the leaves and flowering tops is used as a laxative and to treat stomach aches. An infusion is used internally to treat rheumatism and is also applied externally to swollen joints. A poultice of the leaves is applied to skin infections and to cuts to stop the bleeding. A decoction is used as an eyewash. The plant has properties similar to codeine. The report does not specify which part of the plant is used. Codeine is used as a painkiller.

Healing and soothing ointment can be made from flower heads. Used in a steam bath for its fragrance and medicinal qualities. It is used to clear stuffed noses, for upset stomachs and to cure colds. It is a highly valued medicinal plant to the Dena’ina. They used them to rub on the bodies of pregnant women and make medicine switches to relieve arthritic and other aches. Made into a tea it is used to wash any kind of infection. Wrapped in a cloth it is used for toothache, earache and snow blindness. Athlete’s foot is washed in a tea and plants worn in the shoes fresh. It can be used for mosquito repellent. Try burning it in your campfire. It is used by Eskimo people against tumors and to reduce fevers. Used in Scandinavia, Germany, France, Switzerland, England, Bosnia, Russia, China, Tibet, India, Bali, Bolivia, Argentina and the US. Wormwood has a long history of use. It is mentioned in the Bible as a bitter herb used during Passover. It freshened the air and was used to repel fleas during the 16th century. It derives its common name from use as a human and animal de-wormer. Since medieval times it has been associated with magic and medicine. Snakes and evil of all kinds are supposed to be repelled by wormwood.

Caution: Wormwoods should be carefully used internally. The oil absinthol is present in the foliage of many Artemisias. Taken repeatedly in large doses it could cause coma and convulsions. Taken in small doses or used externally it should pose no problem.

Other Uses:
Disinfectant;  Incense.

The freshly crushed leaves can be rubbed on the hands to remove odours. The plant is used as an incense and deodorant in the home

Known Hazards: Although no reports of toxicity have been seen for this species, skin contact with some members of this genus can cause dermatitis or other allergic reactions in some people.

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

Resources:
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Artemisia+tilesii
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ARTI
http://www.cdhs.us/Flower%20Project/Family%20Index/Compositae%20Index/A.%20tilesii/A.%20tilesii%20Fset.htm

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
Categories
Herbs & Plants

Senna ligustrina

[amazon_link asins=’B01J1LU8KA,B0083K04IM,B01F5CZV56,B01K7N0VOO,B01F741534′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’e8a0da58-fe3b-11e6-bc1c-79422cf480b8′]

Botanical Name :Senna ligustrina
Family :Fabaceae – Pea family
Genus : Senna Mill. – senna
Species: Senna ligustrina (L.) Irwin & Barneby – privet senna
Kingdom ; Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom:  Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Fabales

Synonyms: Senna ligustrina (L.) Irwin & Barneby

Common Names :Wild Coffee,Privet senna, Privet wild sensitive plant,Bahama Cassia

Habitat :Senna ligustrina grows in monroe County Keys north to Brevard, Okeechobee and Levy counties; West Indies and Central America. Very rare in the Monroe County Keys and perhaps confined to Big Pine Key and nearby islands.mostly available in forest edges.

Description:
Senna ligustrina is a medium shrubby wildflower tree,growing  to about 4-8 feet in height. Taller than broad. with erect stems and dark green leaves.Bloome yellow  color flower.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

Medicinal Uses:
The leaves have recorded uses as a drink and wash for skin disorders.  It is said to be good for problems of the kidneys like jaundice, for bladder problems like bed wetting, hence the colloquial name piss-a-bed.  It acts as a tonic for the liver, and also has a diuretic action.  The roots are used for treating jaundice, dropsy and liver troubles.  The leaves are employed in Cuba as a purge.

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

Resources:
http://regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Sennligu
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SELI9
http://www.butterflyworld.com/ECOMMERCE/proddetail.php?prod=Senna_ligustrina
http://www.floridanativenurseries.org/plants/detail/senna-ligustrina
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_UZ.htm

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
Categories
Herbs & Plants

Oenanthe aquatica

[amazon_link asins=’B008X8R8T2′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’6656ba6d-5af0-11e7-aee8-a702fa67dd5f’]

[amazon_link asins=’B005Q5UUFO,B00R42HKGO,B00E3Y0N5G,B01H3KZ5AY,B01MQPA6VC,B00CE0U2W0,B01M6CV42B,B000AF0A78,B071ZLND5W’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’a2d41c14-5af0-11e7-be9a-efa58f375142′]

Botanical Name : Oenanthe aquatica
Family : Apiaceae – Carrot family
Genus : Oenanthe L. – waterdropwort
Species : Oenanthe aquatica (L.) Poir. – fineleaf waterdropwort
Kingdom : Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom : Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision ; Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division : Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class :Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Rosidae
Order : Apiales

Synonyms :  Oenanthe phellandrium. Phellandrium aquaticum

Common Name : Water Dropwort, Water Fennel

Habitat :Water Dropwort  seen  in   Europe, including Britain, though absent from the far north, to W. Asia.It grows in slow moving or stagnant water, and by the sides of streams, avoiding acid conditions.

Description:
Oenanthe aquatica is a perennial plant, growing to 1.5 m (5ft). It is in flower from Jun to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies, beetles.The plant is self-fertile.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils.The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils..It cannot grow in the shade.It requires wet soil and can grow in water.

Cultivation:
Requires shallow water or a very wet fertile soil. Individual plants are biennial, dying after flowering. The plant perrenates, however, by means of offsets.

Propagation :
Seed – sow spring or late summer in situ.

Medicinal Uses:
Antiperiodic;  Diaphoretic;  Diuretic;  Expectorant;  Homeopathy;  Narcotic;  Pectoral.

The fruit is antiperiodic, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant and pectoral. It is used in the treatment of chronic pectoral affections, dyspepsia, intermittent fevers, obstinate ulcers etc. This plant should be used with great caution, and only under the supervision of an experienced practitioner. In overdose the fruits cause vertigo, intoxication and other narcotic effects. The roots have been used externally in the treatment of piles. A homeopathic remedy is made from the fruits. It is used in the treatment of bronchitis, coughs etc.

It is used in the treatment of chronic pectoral affections, dyspepsia, intermittent fevers, obstinate ulcers etc. This plant should be used with great caution, and only under the supervision of an experienced practitioner. In overdose the fruits cause vertigo, intoxication and other narcotic effects. The roots have been used externally in the treatment of piles. A homeopathic remedy is made from the fruits. It is used in the treatment of bronchitis, coughs etc.  The seeds have been most successfully used in chronic affections of the air-passages, as laryngitis, asthma, hemoptysis, catarrh, etc.; also in periodical febrile diseases, dyspeptic affections, and in indolent ulcerations.  It is used in consumption and bronchitis, to relieve troublesome cough, render expectoration less and easier, and produce sleep at night.

Known Hazards : All parts of the plant are poisonous. It is said to contain the alleged ‘psychotroph’ myristicine

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

Resources:
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Oenanthe+aquatica
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=OEAQ
http://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Oenanthe_aquatica
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_UZ.htm

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
Categories
Herbs & Plants

Euonymous atropurpurea

[amazon_link asins=’B00INQVYZ8,B00NW882KM,B0042WGO3Y,B00PD9GHUA,B00BAPM39A,B00O5Y4FXA,B01DIE7LUG,B01DFQUTTC,B01K6P748E’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’5edeec60-5a84-11e7-8962-21e936cfe67b’]

Botanical Name: Euonymous atropurpurea
Family :Celastraceae – Bittersweet family
Genus : Euonymus L. – spindletree
Species: Euonymus atropurpureus Jacq. – burningbush
Kingdom : Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom:Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision; Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Celastrales

Synonym: Euonymus atropurpureus Jacq.

Common Name:wahoo

Habitat : Primarily a species of eastern North America, wahoo at the northern edge of its range occurs from Maine and New York west to Montana in the Great Plains, principally occurring from the Upper Midwest and the Northeast to Louisiana and Florida in the main portion of its range. It is considered rare in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ontario, and South Carolina (NatureServe 2006).

Description:
Euonymus atropurpurea is a small to medium shrub or small tree arising from rhizomes, typically ranging to about 4 m in height in Michigan (Barnes and Wagner 1980). The relatively slender, somewhat delicate twigs are green and often faintly lined, but lack corky wings. The twigs bear opposite, thin, elliptic leaves that are finely toothed and have a pointed (short-acuminate) tip. The leaves are a somewhat dull green color above and finely hairy beneath, turning a bright scarlet color in the fall. The flowers, produced in stalked, more or less loose clusters from the leaf axils (bases), are purplish, four-petaled and insect-pollinated. When mature, the four-lobed fruit (which is a capsule) is pink, containing seeds that develop a bright, scarlet aril (a covering or accessory appendage). As the fruit dries and opens, the combination of the pink capsule with the bright red seeds is an indication of ripeness to birds, the primary consumer and disperser.

click to see the pictures

Medicinal Uses:
Many  native American peoples used wahoo bark in various ways, as an eye lotion, a poultice for facial sores and for gynecological conditions.  Native Americans introduced the plant to early European settlers, and it became very popular in Britain as well as in North America in the 19th century.  Wahoo bark is considered a gallbladder remedy with laxative and diuretic properties.   It is prescribed for biliousness and liver problems as well as for skin conditions such as eczema (which may result from poor liver and gall bladder function), and for constipation.  In small doses, Euonymin stimulates the appetite and the flow of the gastric juice. In larger doses, it is irritant to the intestine and is cathartic. It has slight diuretic and expectorant effects, but its only use is as a purgative in cases of constipation in which the liver is disordered, and for which it is particularly efficacious. It is specially valuable in liver disorders which follow or accompany fever. It is mildly aperient and causes no nausea, at the same time stimulating the liver somewhat freely, and promoting a free flow of bile. It the past, it was often used in combination with herbs such as gentian as a fever remedy, especially if the liver was under stress.  Following the discovery that it contains cardiac glycosides, wahoo bark has been given for heart conditions. It is also a remedy for dandruff and scalp problems.

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

Resources:

Click to access Euonymus_atropurpurea.pdf

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=EUAT5
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_UZ.htm

http://www.easywildflowers.com/quality/euo.atr.htm

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
css.php