SPADE FLOWER (Orila thamara)
| Name in Malayalam | : | ഓരിലത്താമര |
| Name in Hindi | : | रतनपुरुष |
| Botanical Name | : | Ionidium saffruticosum |
| Medicinal part | : | whole plant |
| Medicinal properties | : | used to treat scorpion sting, used as a diuretic, demulcent and tonic |
Description
Spade Flower ( Hybanthus)is a genus of flowering plants in the family Violaceae. This genus name is Greek for "humpback flower", referring to the drooping pedicels of plants that are part of this genus. The genus is grossly polyphyletic and may contain up to nine different genera, of which Pombalia Vand., Cubelium Raf. and Pigea DC. have been previously recognized.Characteristics:
Spade Flower is a perennial herb or small shrub to 60 cm high, smooth or hairy. Leaves are linear to lance-like, 1-5 cm long, margins recurved to revolute, occasionally flat; stipules acuminate, 1-4 mm long. Pink-purple spade-shaped flowers occur solitary. Sepals 3-4 mm long. Lower petal broad spade-shaped, pink-purple, with deep purple veins. Upper petals linear-oblong, 3-4 mm long; lateral pair 4.5-5 mm long. Anthers without appendages. Capsule 4-9 mm long; seeds 5-12, pitted between ribs.Medicinal Uses:
This herb is considered to be extremely beneficial to men, used as a diuretic, demulcent and tonic. The root is diuretic and is used in urinary affections and bowel complaints of children. Decoction of leaves and tender stalks is demulcent. The fruit is used to treat scorpion sting. It is a hard task to collect adequate quantities of whole plants, let alone individual parts.
