Plants

Angelica glauca: Introduction, Scientific Classification, Origin, Discovery, Description, Phytochemistry and Uses

Angelica glauca, commonly known as Himalayan angelica or Chora, is a perennial herbaceous plant that belongs to the family Apiaceae. It is native to the Himalayan regions of Asia and is known for its medicinal and aromatic properties. Angelica glauca has a rich history of traditional uses and has also been the subject of scientific investigation due to its potential therapeutic benefits.

Angelica glauca: Introduction, Scientific Classification, Origin, Discovery, Description, Phytochemistry and Uses Read More »

Ajuga bracteosa (Ratti Buti/ Jan-e-Adam): Introduction, Scientific Classification, Geographic distribution, Morphological description, Active ingredients and Uses

Ajuga bracteosa is indigenous to the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas, primarily found in India, Pakistan, and Nepal. It thrives in alpine meadows, rocky slopes, and forest clearings at elevations ranging from 2,500 to 4,500 meters above sea level. The plant’s adaptation to harsh environmental conditions has contributed to its resilience and survival in these regions.

Ajuga bracteosa (Ratti Buti/ Jan-e-Adam): Introduction, Scientific Classification, Geographic distribution, Morphological description, Active ingredients and Uses Read More »

Aconitum chasmanthum: Introduction, Scientific Classification, Origin, Discovery, Description, Phytochemistry and Uses

As a poison
The roots of A. ferox supply the Nepalese poison called bikh, bish, or nabee. It contains large quantities of the alkaloid pseudaconitine, which is a deadly poison. The root of A. luridum, of the Himalaya, is said to be as poisonous as that of A. ferox or A. napellus.
Several species of Aconitum have been used as arrow poisons. Aconitum poisons were used by the Aleuts of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands for hunting whales. Usually, one man in a kayak armed with a poison-tipped lance would hunt the whale, paralyzing it with the poison and causing it to drown. Aconitum tipped arrows are also described in the Rig Veda.

Aconitum chasmanthum: Introduction, Scientific Classification, Origin, Discovery, Description, Phytochemistry and Uses Read More »

Ricinus communis: Scientific classification, Origin, Discovery, Description and Uses

The castor bean or castor oil plant, Ricinus communis, is a species of perennial flowering plant in the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) family. Ricinus communis, also known as the “palm of Christ,” is a member of the Euphorbiaceae family and is also known by the names Jada (Oriya), Verenda (Bengali), Endi (Hindi), Errandi (Marathi), and Diveli (Gujarati).

Ricinus communis: Scientific classification, Origin, Discovery, Description and Uses Read More »

Bachelor’s Button (Centaurea cyanus): Introduction, Classification, Description and Uses

The annual blooming plant Centaurea cyanus also referred to as cornflower or bachelor’s button is a member of the Asteraceae family and is indigenous to Europe. It got its name because it used to frequently grow as a weed in cornfields, where “corn” is used to refer to a variety of cereals, including wheat, barley, rye, and oats. Due to agricultural intensification, notably the excessive use of herbicides, it is now threatened in its natural habitat. Through introduction as a decorative plant in gardens and as a seed contaminant in crop seeds, Centaurea cyanus has now become naturalised in many other regions of the world, including North America and portions of Australia.

Bachelor’s Button (Centaurea cyanus): Introduction, Classification, Description and Uses Read More »

Zinnia Plant: Introduction, Origin/history, Botany, Chemical constituents, Classification, Varieties, Diseases and Insect-Pests

There are stunning decorative plants of the genus Zinnia. The aesthetic and commercial worth will be greatly enhanced by the plant’s novel bloom hues. Like chrysanthemums or sunflowers, it is not well-known. Due to its ability to be purchased as a cut flower in many different countries’ flower marketplaces, Zinnia hybrids have been bred into an excessive number of cultivars. Historically speaking, zinnia is a widely grown decorative plant. Numerous breeding organisations have developed brand-new cultivars with a variety of appealing physical traits. The difficulty in classifying zinnia cultivars is because many of the defining characteristics, such as height, bloom size, and leaf form, are qualitative and are strongly influenced by the environment. Moreover, zinnia hybrids are multiplied by seedlings. Therefore, parent cross-breeding is used to create zinnia plant seeds. In that case, cultivar conservation is challenging. Additionally, one form of propagation technology called in vitro culture offers rapid observation of genetic diversity and plant multiplication. Because there is little information on zinnia cultured in vitro, the conditions needed for doing so were established.

Zinnia Plant: Introduction, Origin/history, Botany, Chemical constituents, Classification, Varieties, Diseases and Insect-Pests Read More »

Indigofera tinctoria: History, Distribution, Habitat, Classification Characteristics, Phytochemical Constituents, and Medicinal uses

The plant Indigofera tinctoria is a member of the Fabaceae family, sometimes referred to as Neeli in Tamil and found all over India. The majority of the 700 species in this group are tropical natives. The shrub Indigofera tinctoria L., sometimes known as “indigo” or “Nili,” is an annual, biennial, or perennial that grows spontaneously throughout India and is hardly cultivated for commerce. The entire plant species and its parts have been used. The leaves and twigs generate a colourless precursor from which the blue dye indigo, used in the textile industry, is derived. The plant species is very significant since it contains vital phytochemical components in addition to producing dye and having therapeutic benefits. Indirubin and indigtone, found in leaf juice extracts, are crucial for treating hydrophobia. It also has anti-diabetic, anti-hepatoprotective, anti-hyperglycemic, antibacterial, anti-antioxidant, anti-cytotoxic, anti-epilective, antinociceptive, anthelminthic, antiproliferative, and anti-dyslipidemic effects, among others.

Indigofera tinctoria: History, Distribution, Habitat, Classification Characteristics, Phytochemical Constituents, and Medicinal uses Read More »

Cyclamen persicum: Discovery, Classification, Origin, and Characteristics

Cyclamen persicum: Discovery, Classification, Origin, and Characteristics Introduction The prominent species of the genus Cyclamen L.,  including garden flowers and  indoor plants, are primarily  distributed in theEurope, the Mediterranean, Western Asia, and North Africa. Before its recent categorization as a  member of the  Primulaceae family, the seed stem’s  spiraling habit or the spherical corms could imply the  origin of the word “Cyclamen”the circle-denoting Greek term “kyklaminos.”All species of the genus  Cyclamen have several traits in common that can be used to identify them as one phylogenetic group. Their hypocotyls, for example,Their corolla lobes are noticeably reflexed, and they are swellingcoiling fruiting pedicels and an established tuberous rootThe Persian cyclamen, Cyclamen persicum,  is a type of blooming herbaceous perennial plant that emerges from a tuber and is found in rocky hillsides, shrubland, and woodland up to 1,200 m (3,900 ft) above sea level, from south-central Turkey to Lebanon-Syria and the Palestinian territories.Additionally, it can be seen growing in Algeria, Tunisia, and the Greek islands of Crete, Rhodes, and Karpathos, where it might have been brought by monks.This species’ cultivars include the frequently encountered florist’s cyclamen. Discovery The city of Bchamoun, which is situated on the western slopes of Mount Lebanon, is the site of the first discovery of the species Cyclamen persicum f. puniceum (Gleason) Grey-Wilson. Classification Kingdom:PlantaeOrder:EricalesFamily:PrimulaceaeGenus:CyclamenSpecies: C. persicumScientific name: Cyclamen persicum Habitat Perennial flowering herbaceous plant adapted to the extremely dry and hot summer climate of the Mediterranean, growing from a tuber that is dormant throughout the dry summer months. Naive to shrub land, rocky hillsides, shaded by pine trees (very shade tolerant), and occasionally in full sun, Cyclamen persicum f. puniceum grows naturally (the leaves get smaller). Origin From the Mediterranean to Iran, cyclamen grows wild in the middle east (Good, 1964). This species typically grows in thicket associations, such as Quercus thaburensis/Styrax officinalis or Salvietwn trilobae/Aliwn subluruitwn, on steep slopes (Zohary, 1962).On rare occasions, C. persicwn is observed growing lithophytically right into rocks with unusually high field capacities. Characteristics A perennial herbaceous plant with a height of around 32 cm (13 in), Cyclamen persicum.Heart-shaped, fleshy leaves on wild plants can grow up to 14 cm (6 in) in length and are typically green with lighter patterns on the upper surface.Puniceum-type Cyclamen persicum (Gleason) Individual stalks for Grey-Wilson blooms range in length from 9 to 20 cm and contain five petals that are nearly erected on top.The flowers have a crimson-magenta or deep pink zone at the base of each petal and range in colour from red to carmine.The clumps consist of dark green leaves (4–9 cm) with serrated hearts that are purple underside and frequently have stunning silver patterns with marbling on the upper surface.The plant’s brown, corky, flattened tuber, which can be up to 15 cm in diameter and gets rougher with age, is where the leaf stalks and thick (2 mm) diameter roots emerge from.base.The underside of the leaf may be reddish or pale green.The leaf margin is typically serrated and has a little thickening.Phenologycommencing in January (174 m) and lasting until the end of April(836 m) FLOWERING The development of the cyclamen persicwn flower starts on the side of the radially synunetric branch apex, close to the axil of the sixth leaf (Sundberg, 1977). Before flower initiation, the initially lateral apex of the growing shoot system has been moved to the center by substantial tissue proliferation at the base of the first leaves (Sundberg , 1977). More quickly than the other leaves, the sixth and seventh leaves grow. This might be connected to the initiation of the bloom (Sundberg, 1977).As long as the plant continues to grow, flower primordia continue to develop in the terminal and adventitious leaf axils (Neuray, 1977). The pace of floral growth is constant from flower to flower and unaffected by the rates of corresponding underlying leaves (Sundberg, 1977). Frequently Asked Questions Question:Is Cyclamen Persicum an outdoor plantAnd:YesQuestion: Is Cyclamen Persicum HardyAns: NoQuestion:

Cyclamen persicum: Discovery, Classification, Origin, and Characteristics Read More »