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Sandhyamaloti ( Mirabilis jalapa )

Botanical Name : Mirabilis jalapa
Family: Nyctaginaceae
Genus: Mirabilis
Species: M. jalapa
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Caryophyllales

Common Names:Four o’clock flower or Marvel of Peru. In Pakistan it is called “Gul Abas” (Urdu:). In Sri Lanka it is called “Hendirikka”. In Southern India it is called “Anthi Mandhaarai” (Tamil:). In Andhra Pradesh it is called “Chandrakantha”(Telugu:). In Kerala it is called ‘Naalumani poovu’ (Malayalam: . In Maharashtra it is called “Gulabakshi” (Marathi:. In Assamese it is called ‘Godhuli Gopal’, ‘godhuli’ meaning evening. In Bengali it is called “sandhyamaloti” OR Sandhyamani, .In Maithili it is called “sanjhaa phool” as it blooms in evening . In Oriya it is called ‘Rangani’. In China it is called the “shower flower”

Habitat : M. jalapa hails from tropical South America, but has become naturalised throughout tropical and warm temperate regions. In cooler temperate regions, it will die back with the first frosts, regrowing in the following spring from the tuberous roots. The plant does best in full sun.

Desacription:
Mirabilis jalapa is a perennial plant  grows to approximately 0.9 m in height. The single-seeded fruits are spherical, wrinkled and black upon maturity , having started out greenish-yellow. The plant will self-seed, often spreading rapidly if left unchecked in a garden. Some gardeners recommend that the seeds should be soaked before planting, but this is not totally necessary. In North America, the plant perennializes in warm, coastal environments, particularly in USDA Zones 9–10.
 Click to see the pictures….>……...(01)......(1)....(2).....(3).....(4)....(5)..……………….
. It is in flower from Jul to October, and the seeds ripen from Aug to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.

Genetic Studies:
Around 1900, Carl Correns used Mirabilis as a model organism for his studies on cytoplasmic inheritance. He used the plant’s variegated leaves to prove that certain factors outside the nucleus affected phenotype in a way not explained by Mendel’s theories. Correns proposed that leaf color in Mirabilis was passed on via a uniparental mode of inheritance.

Also, when red-flowered plants are crossed with white-flowered plants, pink-flowered offspring, not red, are produced. This is seen as an exception to Mendel’s Law of Dominance, because in this case the red and white genes are of equal strength, so none completely dominates the other. The phenomenon is known as incomplete dominance.

Cultivation:   
Succeeds in almost any ordinary garden soil. Prefers a fertile well-drained soil in full sun or part day shade. This species is not very hardy in Britain. The top growth is cut back by frost but the tuber survives the winter outdoors if the temperature does not fall much below -5°c, a good mulch would be beneficial. Tubers can be lifted and stored over winter in a cool frost free place in the same way that dahlia tubers are stored. The marvel of Peru is usually grown as a half-hardy annual in temperate zones, it flowers freely in its first year. Plants also self-sow freely in warmer areas (these seedlings can be easily transplanted) and they can become a weed in such situations due to their deep rooting habit. This species was cultivated as a medicinal plant by the Aztecs prior to the Spanish conqust. The flowers are sweetly scented and do not open until the afternoon. The young growth is particularly susceptible to aphis infestation. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.

Propagation  :
Seed – sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in early summer, after the last expected frosts. The seed remains viable for several years[196]. Division in spring as the plant comes into growth

Edible Uses:
Tender young leaves – cooked as a vegetable. An emergency food, only eaten when all else fails. An edible crimson dye is obtained from the flowers. It is used for colouring cakes and jellies. The seed is crushed and used as a pepper substitute

Medicinal Uses:
Diuretic;  Purgative;  Vulnerary.

The root is aphrodisiac, diuretic and purgative. It is used in the treatment of dropsy. A paste of the root is applied as a poultice to treat scabies and muscular swellings. The juice of the root is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, indigestion and fevers. The powdered root, mixed with corn flour (Zea mays) is baked and used in the treatment of menstrual disorders. The leaves are diuretic. They are used to reduce inflammation. A decoction of them is used to treat abscesses. The leaf juice is used to treat wounds

Other Uses;
The flowers are used in food colouring. The leaves may be eaten cooked as well, but only as an emergency food.

An edible crimson dye is obtained from the flowers to colour cakes and jellies.

The leaves are used to reduce inflammation. A decoction of them (mashing and boiling) is used to treat abscesses. Leaf juice may be used to treat wounds.

Powdered, the seed of some varieities is used as a cosmetic and a dye.

 Known Hazards :  The seeds and the rots are reported to cause digestive disturbances .The seeds are considered poisonous

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://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirabilis_jalapa
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Mirabilis+jalapa

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Coriander

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Botanical Name : Coriandrum sativum
Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Coriandrum
Species: C. sativum
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Apiales

Common Names:cilantro, Chinese parsley or dhania, coriander greens, coriander herb

Habitat :Cilantro is native to regions spanning from southern Europe and North Africa to southwestern Asia

Description:Coriander is an annual herb . It is a soft, hairless plant growing to 50 cm (20 in) tall. The leaves are variable in shape, broadly lobed at the base of the plant, and slender and feathery higher on the flowering stems. The flowers are borne in small umbels, white or very pale pink, asymmetrical, with the petals pointing away from the centre of the umbel longer (5–6 mm) than those pointing towards it (only 1–3 mm long). The fruit is a globular, dry schizocarp 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) in diameter.

click to see the pictures…...(01)...(1)..…....(2)..…..(3).…...(4)…………………………….
First attestick to see ed in English late 14th century, the word coriander derives from the Old French coriandre, which comes from Latin coriandrum, in turn from Greek  (koriannon). The earliest attested form of the word is the Mycenaean Greek ko-ri-ja-da-na  (written in Linear B syllabic script, reconstructed as koriadnon), similar to the name of Minos’s daughter Ariadne, which later evolved to koriannon or koriandron.

Cilantro is the Spanish word for coriander, also deriving from coriandrum. It is the common term in North America for coriander leaves, due to their extensive use in Mexican cuisine.

Edible Uses:
All parts of the plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the parts most traditionally used in cooking. Coriander is common in South Asian, Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, Mediterranean, Indian, Tex-Mex, Latin American, Portuguese, Chinese, African, and Scandinavian cuisine.

The leaves are variously referred to as coriander leaves, fresh coriander, Chinese parsley, or cilantro (particularly in North America).

It should not be confused with culantro (Eryngium foetidum L.) which is a close relative to coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) but has a distinctly different appearance, a much more potent volatile leaf oi  and a stronger smell.

Leaves:
The leaves have a different taste from the seeds, with citrus overtones. However, many people experience an unpleasant “soapy” taste or a rank smell and avoid the leaves.[8][9] The flavours have also been compared to those of the stink bug, and similar chemical groups are involved (aldehydes). There appears to be a genetic component to the detection of “soapy” versus “herby” tastes.

click to see

The fresh leaves are an ingredient in many South Asian foods (such as chutneys and salads), in Chinese dishes, in Mexican cooking, particularly in salsa and guacamole and as a garnish, and in salads in Russia and other CIS countries. Chopped coriander leaves are a garnish on Indian dishes such as dal. As heat diminishes their flavour, coriander leaves are often used raw or added to the dish immediately before serving. In Indian and Central Asian recipes, coriander leaves are used in large amounts and cooked until the flavour diminishes. The leaves spoil quickly when removed from the plant, and lose their aroma when dried

Fruits:
The dry fruits are known as coriander or coriandi seeds. In India they are called dhania. The word “coriander” in food preparation may refer solely to these seeds (as a spice), rather than to the plant. The seeds have a lemony citrus flavour when crushed, due to terpenes linalool and pinene. It is described as warm, nutty, spicy, and orange-flavoured.
click to see the picture
The variety C. s. vulgare has a fruit diameter of 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in), while var. microcarpum fruits have a diameter of 1.5–3 mm (0.059–0.12 in). Large-fruited types are grown mainly by tropical and subtropical countries, e.g. Morocco, India and Australia, and contain a low volatile oil content (0.1-0.4%). They are used extensively for grinding and blending purposes in the spice trade. Types with smaller fruit are produced in temperate regions and usually have a volatile oil content of around 0.4-1.8%, so are highly valued as a raw material for the preparation of essential oil.

It is commonly found both as whole dried seeds and in ground form. Seeds can be roasted or heated on a dry pan briefly before grinding to enhance and alter the aroma. Ground coriander seed loses flavour quickly in storage and is best ground fresh.

Coriander seed is a spice in garam masala and Indian curries, which often employ the ground fruits in generous amounts together with cumin. It acts as a thickener. Roasted coriander seeds, called dhana dal, are eaten as a snack. It is the main ingredient of the two south Indian dishes: sambhar and rasam. Coriander seeds are boiled with water and drunk as indigenous medicine for colds.

Outside of Asia, coriander seed is used for pickling vegetables, and making sausages in Germany and South Africa (see boerewors). In Russia and Central Europe, coriander seed is an occasional ingredient in rye bread as an alternative to caraway. Coriander seeds are used in European cuisine today, though they were more important in former centuries.[citation needed] The Zuni people have adapted it into their cuisine, mixing the powdered seeds ground with chile and using it a condiment with meat, and eating leaves as a salad.

Coriander seeds are used in brewing certain styles of beer, particularly some Belgian wheat beers.   The coriander seeds are used with orange peel to add a citrus character.

Roots: click to see
Coriander roots have a deeper, more intense flavour than the leaves. They are used in a variety of Asian cuisines. They are commonly used in Thai dishes, including soups and curry pastes.

Medicinal Uses:
* Digestion
Properties: * Anti-inflammatory * Depurative * Digestive * Emmenagogue * Febrifuge
Parts Used: seeds, essential oil
Constituents:  anethole, camphor, linalool, pinene, quercetin, rutin

Cilantro (leaves)and Coriander (seeds) and are names for different parts of the same plant, Coriandrum sativum, a naturally healing food in both forms. Cilantro is an excellent culinary herb that adds flavor to foods and improvse digestion. There are both scientific studies, and anecdotal evidence to support cilantro’s reputation as a powerful depurative.. The herb may also have a protective effect when cooked and eaten with fish and other foods that may be contaminated with heavy metals.

Coriander, like many spices, contains antioxidants, which can delay or prevent the spoilage of food seasoned with this spice. A study found both the leaves and seed to contain antioxidants, but the leaves were found to have a stronger effect.
click to see
Chemicals derived from coriander leaves were found to have antibacterial activity against Salmonella choleraesuis, and this activity was found to be caused in part by these chemicals acting as nonionic surfactants.

Coriander has been used as a folk medicine for the relief of anxiety and insomnia in Iran.  Coriander seeds are used in traditional Indian medicine as a diuretic by boiling equal amounts of coriander seeds and cumin seeds, then cooling and consuming the resulting liquid. In holistic and traditional medicine, it is used as a carminative and as a digestive aid.

Coriander has been documented as a traditional treatment for type 2 diabetes. A study on mice found coriander extract had both insulin-releasing and insulin-like activity.

Coriander seeds were found in a study on rats to have a significant hypolipidaemic effect, resulting in lowering of levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides, and increasing levels of high-density lipoprotein. This effect appeared to be caused by increasing synthesis of bile by the liver and increasing the breakdown of cholesterol into other compounds.

Coriander leaf was found to prevent deposition of lead in mice, due to a presumptive chelation of lead by substances in the plant.

The essential oil produced from Coriandrum sativum has been shown to exhibit antimicrobial effects.

Known Hazards: Coriander can produce an allergic reaction in some people.

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/Coriander
http://www.anniesremedy.com/herb_detail18.php

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Brassica napus

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Botanical Name :Brassica napus
Family: Brassicaceae
Tribe: Brassiceae
Genus: Brassica
Species: Brassica napus L.
Cladus: eurosids II
Order: Brassicales

Common Names:  Canola oil rapeseed

Habitat :Brassica napus is grown throughout temperate regions. Cultivated in most European countries, but naturalized in most.

Description:
Annual or biennial, when sown late and flowering the following spring, with slender or stout, hard, long, fusiform tuberous taproot; stems erect, much-branched, up to 1.5 m tall, often purple toward base; leaves glaucous, the lower ones lyrate-pinnatifid or lobed, with petioles 10–30 cm long, glabrous or with a few bristly hairs, upper stem leaves lanceolate, sessile, clasping, more or less entire; flowers pale yellow, 1.2–1.5 cm long, open flowers not overtopping buds of inflorescence; inflorescence much-branched, up to 1 m tall as an elongating raceme; silique 5–11 cm long, 2.5–4 mm wide, with slender beak 0.5–3 mm long. Underground part curved or crooked for 5–7.5 cm and then dividing into stout horizontal branches. Fl. late spring to fall; fr. early summer to fall

click to see the pictures…….>......(01).…...(1).…..…(2)..……..(3)……..(4).

Cultivation:
Fall plowing and preparation of a good firm seedbed is desirable as rape seeds are small. Cultipacking before seeding make a firm even seedbed. Germination must be fast with uniform emergence for the crop to get ahead of the weeds. Seed of Polish and Argentine types germinate readily when moisture and temperature conditions are suitable. Seed rate and spacing of rows varies in different areas. Sow seed with a grain drill, in rows 30–40 cm apart. Because seed are so small, it is recommended to mix 50–50 with cracked grain, so as to spread out the rape seed; for a 10 kg/ha rate, calibrate the drill for 20 kg/ha of mixture. If fertilizer is used mixed with the seed when sowing, sow about 30 kg/ha of mixture and mix at the time of sowing. Seed may be sown with a grass-seed attachment, or broadcast and then harrowed or disced lightly. Depth of sowing should be 2.5 cm or less, but seedlings will emerge from 5 cm or more if soil does not crust on top. Seedlings develop slowly and are easily destroyed by drifting soil. Spreading manure where drifting might start helps trap drifting soil. Early sowings give higher yields, but crop is more susceptible when emerging, -4°C either killing or injuring seedlings, whereas -2°C has no affect when one month old. Sowing in late April or early May is best in northern areas; sowing as late as June or early July give rather good results. Rape may be planted after grains, flax, corn, potatoes, sugar beets or fallow, but not after rape, mustards or sunflowers (Reed, 1976).
click to see

Medicinal Uses:
Folk Medicine
The seed, powdered, with salt is said to be a folk remedy for cancer. Rape oil is used in massage and oil baths, believed to strengthen the skin and keep it cool and healthy. With camphor it is applied for rheumatism and stiff joints. Medicinally, root used in chronic coughs and bronchial catarrh

Like soybean, canola contains both high oil content as well as high protein content. It contains about 40% oil and 23% protein compared to 20% and 40%, respectively, for soybean. Like soybean, when the oil is crushed out, it leaves a high quality, high protein (37%) feed concentrate which is highly palatable to livestock. Commercial varieties of canola were developed from two species; Brassica napus (Argentine type) and Brassica campestris (Polish type). Both species of canola produce seed that is high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, and linolenic).

Other Uses:
Grown sparingly for young leaves used as potherb; more generally grown as forage for livestock feed, and as source of rapeseed oil. Rape oil used in food industry, as an illuminant and lubricant, and for soap manufacture. Residual rapeseed cake, though low in food value, used as livestock feed. Rapeseed oil has potential market in detergent lubrication oils, emulsifying agents, polyamide fibers, and resins, and as a vegetable wax substitute. According to the Chemical Marketing Reporter (April 26, 1982) “the most common use for the oil is still in the production or erucic acid, a fatty acid used in turn in the manufacture of other chemicals. Sprouts are used dietetically and as seasoning.

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.anniesremedy.com/herb_detail397.php
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/brassica_napus.html
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Brassica_napus

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Adenanthera pavonina

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Botanical Name :Adenanthera pavonina
Family: Fabaceae
Genus:Adenanthera
Species:A. pavonina
Kingdom:Plantae
Class:Eudicots
Order:Fabales

Synonyms:  Adenanthera gersenii, Adenanthera polita.

Common Names:Saga Tree.Red sandalwood, coral bean tree, sagaseed tree, red – bead tree, raktakambal, kokriki, olho-de-pavão, bois de condori, lopa.It is also known as Barbados pride, Coral-wood, Coralwood, Peacock flower fence, Red beadtree, Red sandalwood tree, Red sandalwood, Sandalwood tree, Saga; syn. Adenanthera gersenii Scheff., Adenanthera polita Miq., Corallaria parvifolia Rumph. The tree is common within the tropics of the old world.The species has many names in various local languages throughout its range, for example in Kerala it is known as Manchadi.

Habitat:
Adenanthera pavonina is native to India, Southeast China, Southeast Asia.It is also introduced in the following countries of the Americas: Brazil, especially in Caatinga vegetation; Costa Rica, Honduras, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Tobago, Venezuela, and the United States, specially in southern Florida.

Description: 
Adenanthera pavonina is a species of Leguminous tree, used for its timber. It is medium- to large-sized deciduous tree, it can grow to a height of 20 m. It has a rounded crown and smooth, greyish bark that turns flaky with age. It is hardy and fast-growing. Leaves are twice pinnate, 10-40 cm long, with 2-6 pairs of side-stalks, each with 9-15 pairs of oblong-elliptic, 1-4 x 0.7-2.5 cm leaflets and a terminal one. Flowers are bisexual, 2 mm long, star-shaped, cream-yellowish, growing in dangling flower heads that resemble cat tails. The flowers turn dull orange and have a faint orange blossom smell. The pods are curved and split into twisted halves when dry to expulse 8-12 bright red, hard, pill-shaped seeds.

You may click to see the picture->:...(01)...(1)  …(2) :….(3)...:

Cultivation:The Saga Tree grows well in neutral to slightly acidic soils.

Edible Uses:
In Java, the seeds can also be roasted, shelled, and eaten with rice. If eaten raw, the seeds could cause intoxication. The young leaves are also edible once cooked.

Medicinal Uses:
The seeds are also known to possess medicinal value. Powdered seeds are made into plasters to quicken the ripening of boils and to cure headaches and rheumatism in India.

You may click to see the pictures of seeds  ->:..(1)..   ….(2)  :

High doses of the seed extract show an anti-inflammatory effect in studies in rats and mice.

Other Uses:
The trees have been a type of popular ornamental tree and were planted along roadsides in Singapore during the 1970s to 1980s. Now it is planted more as a shade plant in parks and gardens.

The seeds are used as beads. Children would collect the seeds to make into playthings. Due to their consistent mass (4 seeds make up 1 gram), the seeds were also used in the past as weights in many parts of Asia for weighing gold and even silver.

Its beads have long been a symbol of love in China, and its name in Chinese is xiang si dou (Chinese), or “mutual love bean”. This tree is useful for nitrogen fixation, and it is often cultivated for forage, as a medicinal plant, and as an ornamental garden plant and urban tree. The beauty of the seeds, their use as beads for jewelry, and their nourishing qualities (the raw seeds are toxic but can be eaten when cooked), have combined to cause the plant to be widespread. E. J. H. Corner states that in India, the seeds have been used as units of weight for fine measures, of gold for instance, throughout recorded history. The Malay name for the tree, saga, has been traced to the Arabic for ‘goldsmith’.

The small, yellowish flower grows in dense drooping rat-tail flower heads, almost like catkins. The curved hanging pods, with a bulge opposite each seed, split open into two twisted halves to reveal the hard, scarlet seeds. The young leaves can be cooked and eaten. The wood, which is extremely hard, is used in boat-building, making furniture and for firewood.

This tree is used for making soap, and a red dye can be obtained from the wood.

The wood of the Saga Tree is a type of hardwood timber used in house-building and furniture-making. It is also used as fuel wood. In powdered form, heartwood can be used as red dye.

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://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/dna/organisms/details/408
http://www.ask.com/wiki/Adenanthera_pavonina?o=3986&qsrc=999
http://www.tropilab.com/adenan-pav.html

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Thespesia populnea

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Botanical Name : Thespesia populnea
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Thespesia
Species: T. populnea
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Malvales

Alternative Botanical Names: Hibiscus populneus

Common Names:  Commonly known as the Portia Tree.  Indian Tulip Tree, Pacific Rosewood, Seaside Mahoe (in Florida), Surina (the “elegant tree”), Suriya (Sinhala), Bebaru or Baru baru (Malay), Milo or Miro (in many Polynesian languages), Mako?i (Rapanui), Gangaraavi (Telugu), Poovarasu: (Tamil), Poovarasu: (Malayalam), PakuR (Bengali) and Plaksa (Sanskrit).

Habitat: Thespesia populnea is probably indigenous to Hawai’i, but it may have been introduced by the early Polynesians. It is found throughout the tropics in coastal areas. In Hawai’i, it has been documented on all the main islands except Kaho’olawe at elevations ranging from sea level to 900 feet. (Wagner 1990) .However, the Portia Tree is probably native only to the Old World, and may have originated in India.
Description :
Thespesia populnea is species of flowering plant. It is a small tree or arborescent shrub that has a pantropical distribution, found on coasts around the world.The Portia Tree reaches a height of 6–10 m (20–33 ft) tall and a trunk diameter of 20–30 cm (7.9–12 in). It grows at elevations from sea level to 275 m (902 ft) in areas that receive 500–1,600 mm (20–63 in) of annual rainfall. The Portia Tree is able to grow in the wide range of soil types that may be present in coastal environments, including soils derived from quartz (sand), limestone, and basalt; it favors neutral soils (pH of 6-7.4).

Bark: Brown, corrugated. Scaly twigs.

Leaves: Heart-shaped, shiny green, usually ranging in size from 5 cm to 20 cm (2 to 8 inches) long.

Flowers: The cup-shaped hibiscus-like pale yellow flowers are 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 inches), with a dark blotch at the base of the petals . They last for one to two days, turning maroon and then dropping. They are produced intermittently throughout the year in warm climates.

You may click to see the pictures

Fruits and seeds: Capsule is a flattened indehiscent leathery sphere. The grayish brown seeds, 0.7 to 1.2 cm long (1/4 to 1/2 inch). Both the capsules and the hard seeds are buoyant and can be dispersed to very long distances by sea water

You may click to see the pictures: ..>     Indian Tulip Tree :

Leaves & flowers (1)  :

Leaves & flower (2)  :

Cultivation & Propagation:
It grows at elevations from sea level to 275 m (902 ft) in areas that receive 500–1,600 mm (20–63 in) of annual rainfall.  The Portia Tree is able to grow in the wide range of soil types that may be present in coastal environments, including soils derived from quartz (sand), limestone, and basalt; it favors neutral soils (pH of 6-7.4)

The plant is propagated by seeds. The leathery seed capsules of Thespesia populnea are spherical and 1 to 2 inches in diameter. The grayish brown seeds are 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. The capsules generally open at maturity releasing about eight seeds. The capsules can also be opened by hand and the seeds removed.

The seeds should be scarified (the seed coat penetrated). This can be done using sandpaper, nail clippers, or by cracking with a hammer. Care must be taken to avoid damaging the inner part of the seed. The seeds do not require soaking. The seeds should be planted in sterile potting mix at a depth of about twice the diameter of the seed. Germination takes 14 to 28 days. (NTBG 1996; Wagner 1990)

Edible Uses :
The leaf and flower buds are said to be edible raw or cooked. The seeds are applied to scabies and other skin diseases, and are rubbed on swollen joints.

Medicinal Uses:
The yellowish juice extracted from young fruits is used to treat insect bites, gonorrhoea, ringworm, and migraine headache , and is also used for fistula, psoriasis, scabies, sprains, and wart removal:
(http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/dictionary/tico/t.html)

Bioassay test results showed that extracts of fruits and flowers of T. populnea distinctly inhibited the growth of two bacteria:
(http://www.jusir.org/issues/0112/01-xx/jusir_2_20_24.pdf)

Traditional medicinal uses: Ground up bark is used to treat skin diseases (India), dysentery and haemorrhoids (Mauritius). Leaves are applied to inflamed and swollen joints (South India). When cut, the young fruit secretes a yellow sticky sap used to treat ringworm and other skin diseases (South India). Roots are used as a tonic. There is some modern investigation of the plant’s effects on high blood pressure:
http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/plants/portia.htm

The roots are used as a tonic… Kirtikar and Basu report that in Mauritius the bark is described as depurative, and as a cure for dysentery and haemorrhoids. Nadkarni says that a decoction of the bark is used for washing skin diseases. Ground bark mixed with coconut oil is also applied to skin diseases… leaves are applied to inflamed and swollen joints. The fruit abounds in a viscid, yellow juice which the natives in South India use as an external application in psoriasis. Many other uses are listed at:
(http://www.hindunet.org/saraswati/Indian%20Lexicon/thespesia.htm)

Other Uses:
The heartwood of the Portia Tree is dark reddish brown to chocolate brown and has a specific gravity of 0.55 to 0.89.  It is used to make the thavil, a Carnatic musical instrument of South India. Milo is popular in Hawaii for woodworking (commonly turned into bowls) because of the range of colors expressed (tan, through yellow, to red). Traditionally it was planted in sacred groves and used for religious sculpture throughout eastern Polynesia. In Tahiti, Milo wood is used in the making of the to’ere (slotted wooden drum), used in traditional Tahitian tribal drumming. Mako?i was used for the rongorongo tablets of Easter Island. Since the advent of aluminium-hulled boats in the 20th century, Pitcairners have made regular trips to Henderson Island to harvest miro wood. Usually they only venture to Henderson only once per year, but may make up to three trips if the weather is favorable. Pitcairners carve the wood into curios, from which they derive much of their income. The flower of the Portia Tree played a part in Sri Lanka‘s independence struggle, when it was sold on Remembrance Day by the Suriya-Mal Movement instead of the poppy to aid indigenous ex-servicemen.

The plant also produces rope and dye and is used as a shade tree and as a windbreak.

Fibres, mats, paper and tapa cloth are products of Thespesia populnea:
http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/research/mangroves/mangrove-uses.html

The bark was used for cordage fiber. The tree also yields tannin, dye, oil, medicine and gum, from various parts of the plant. The wood was skillfully crafted into bowls and into plates, too. The wood is flavorless, because it is lacking in any unpleasant-tasting sap that could contaminate stored food. The wood has an attractive grain that takes to a high polish and, in addition to food utensils and containers, was fashioned into paddles and other carved objects, as well as for an occasional canoe:
http://www.hawaii-nation.org/canoe/milo.html

Wood used for food containers, slit drums and cabinetry:
http://web.hawcc.hawaii.edu/hawcc/fstone/biol156_Handouts.htm

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/Thespesia_populnea
http://www.ask.com/wiki/Thespesia_populnea?o=3986&qsrc=999
http://www2.hawaii.edu/~eherring/hawnprop/the-popu.htm
http://www.hibiscus.org/species/tpopulnea.php

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