Flora of the Nilgiris

Habit : A diffuse herb.

Habitat and Distribution : Very common by the waysides in very poor soils and on stone revetments. Plains upto 1000m. Found mostly in the tropics.

Indigenous Information : Leaves are cooked with/out lentils as a vegetable. Some believe that they will catch a cold if they eat this vegetable. Good fodder plant. The root is crushed with cumin and tuber of Acorus calamus and this mixture is taken orally to cure certain stomach ailments and indigestion.

Other relevent information : Food plant of the Hogweed Hawkmouth. Whole plant is used in traditional medicine and as a potherb.

 

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Names:

English : Common Hogweed
Irula : Gurujei
Tamil : Mookkaratti, Sarandai, Saarai
Hindi : Gadahpurna

Flower:

In axillary or terminal panicles, deep pink. Flowering peaks from January-April.

Fruit :

An anthocarp, club shaped, glandular hairy, top rounded. Seed erect, smooth, swelling in water, slimy. Fruiting throughout the year.