Description

Oblong Leaf Salacia is an indigenous flowering plant of the genus Salacia grown in dry zone forests in Sri Lanka. In ayurvedic medicine it is known as kothala himbutu. Oblong Leaf Salacia is a climbing, perennial, woody shrub. The plant has dichotomous branching pattern. Bark is smooth, greenish grey in colour, thin, and white internally. Leaves: opposite and elliptic-oblong. Leaf-base is acute, apex abruptly acuminate, margin are toothed with minute rounded teeth. Flowers are bisexual and arranged as 2-8 clustered in leaf axils. They are greenish-white to greenish-yellow in color. Fruit is a drupe which is globose and tubercular. The drupe assumes pinkish-orange color on ripening. Seeds 1–4 in number and resembles with almond. Oblong leaf salacia is a climbing shrub with densely warty branchlets. Leaves are oblong, green, veined, and borne on stalks up to 1 cm long. The flowers are green-yellow, appearing in March through May, that yield orange-red berries. It grows primarily in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.

Characteristics:

Oblong Leaf Salacia is a stout climbing shrub with branchlets densely warty. Warts are elongate. Leaves are up to 21 x 8 cm, oblong, pointed or blunt at apex, narrow at base, green when dry, nerves 8-10 pairs, stalk 1 cm long. Stalks bearing inflorescence are short, stout, many-flowered. Flowers are many, greenish yellow. Sepals are 1.5 mm across, circular, petals 2.5 mm long, ovate. Berry is about 4 cm across, orange-red, smooth. Oblong Leaf Salacia is found in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests of South India and Sri Lanka. Flowering: March-May. Oblong Leaf Salacia is a stout climbing shrub with branchlets densely warty. Warts are elongate. Leaves are up to 21 x 8 cm, oblong, pointed or blunt at apex, narrow at base, green when dry, nerves 8-10 pairs, stalk 1 cm long. Stalks bearing inflorescence are short, stout, many-flowered. Flowers are many, greenish yellow. Sepals are 1.5 mm across, circular, petals 2.5 mm long, ovate. Berry is about 4 cm across, orange-red, smooth. Oblong Leaf Salacia is found in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests of South India and Sri Lanka. Flowering: March-May.

Medicinal Uses:

Oblong leaf salacia is used to treat people with diabetes in traditional medical systems of India and Sri Lanka. Modern clinical trials confirm that it can indeed be beneficial in people with diabetes. Numerous mechanisms have been researched that could explain its antidiabetic effects.