Medicinal Plants known from Wayanad A checklist

54 Pages·2015·0.43 MB·English

Medici nal Plants

Known fro m Wayanad

N. Anil Kumar
Salim P.M
V. Balakrishnan &
V.V. Sivan

M.S. Swaminathan Research
Foundation
MSSRF, CAbC hand book No.8.

Medicinal Plants known from Wayand
A checklist with Local Names, Botanical Names, Habit and Habitat

N. Anil Kumar, Salim P.M, V. Balakrishnan & V.V. Sivan

Date of Publication: 23-11-2001

Revised Edition: 06-06-2007

M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation
Community Agrobiodiversity Centre
Puthoorvayal, P.O., Kalpetta, Wayanad- 673121, Kerala
Phone- 04936 204477, E-mail [email protected]

Type setting and compilation of illustrations: Shyja. K.N

Printing:
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Conten ts

Acknowledgement …………………………………… 4
Introduction …………………………………… 6
Checklist of Medicinal Plants …………………………………… 8
Index to Botanical Names …………………………………… 45
Index to Local Names ……………………………………. 54
Reference …………………………………… 57

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Acknow ledgement

We are grateful to Professor M.S. Swaminathan, Chairman for his critical comments on the
checklist and encouragement for its publication. Thanks are also due to Mr. Ratheesh
Narayanan, Senior Scientist, MSSRF and Mr. P.J. Chackochan, Secretary, Wayanad
Vanamoolika Samrakshana Sangham for their contributions in correcting the scientific name
and giving correct local name and habitat.
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Abbreviations

ST - Small Tree
MT - Medium Tree
LT - Large Tree
VLT - Very large Tree

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INTRODUCTION

The plants capable of contributing to the health security of humans and their domesticated animals have, always
fascinated human beings. They called such herbage as medicinal plants, and made use of its different parts- roots,
leaves, bark, stem, flowers, fruits, and seeds for curing many ailments varying from simple discomforts to serious
diseases. WHO’s finding that about the 80% of people in developing countries rely on plants for their primary health
care needs still remains true, particularly in villages of countries in the tropical world. The Indian society from very
ancient times recognized the value of the healing plants, and employed them in various ways for keeping their health II
green”. It is estimated that there are about 400,000 registered traditional medical practitioners in India now working
in Ayurveda, Unani, Sidha and the Ethnic health care systems. (Jason and Cherla 1998) In China; the healfh care system
‘is largely based on medicinal plants, and more than 5000 species are used to treat at least 40% of urban patients and
90% of the rural families (Anon.2000)

Although a number of plants have been utilized effectively for medicine and food in the day-to-day life of a traditional
society in Indian villages, this tradition is slowly diminishing to the extent of loosing all our good traditions including the
health care culture. Ironically, the western society has now recognized the great potential of the herbals in healing
many of the present day ailments. This has now resulted in a high-level market demand for such herbs and herb derived
products. For instance, during 1998-1999 the trade in herbal products was for US $ 700 million in Europe, US $ 200
million in Japan, and US $ 300 in South America (Annon.2000), but it was about US $ 150 million only in Asia during this
period of time. The Asian region, which is very rich in medicinal plant wealth and traditional knowledge on herbal usage,
except China is yet to emerge as a competitor in this field. India can take a lead roJe in this sphere, since it has over
5000 species of medicinal plants in which at least 10% is endemic to the country, if research, production and marketing
are coordinated in an effective manner. The government of India has recently set up a Medicinal Plants Board to give
integrated attention to all aspects of Medicinal Plants conservation and sustainable and equitable use.

At Wayanad- a haven of both medicinal plants and traditional medical practitioners, the Community Agrobiodiversity
Centre (CAbC) of MSSRF has attempted in helping the villagers to revitalize and conserve their health-care heritage.
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The tribal and rural communities of this district had their traditions intact till recently, and have been us.ing a large
number of species for their health security system. Unfortunately, several such species as well as the traditions of
healing diseases with plants and other biological materials are facing serious threats due to the impact of “modern
civilization”. The most important early warning sign in terms of the preservation of traditional health care practices is
the alarming erosion of knowledge about the healing methods and also the much faster genetic erosion in medicinal plant
diversity. The fundamental cause of the loss of such knowledge and the depletion of biological resources is our simple
ignorance about the value of our heritage and its application in present day life. Hence CAbC has given much importance
to make people understand the importance of revitalizing their conservation traditions through a three-pronged
strategy- research, extension and field level action. The steps involved include awareness generation, analysis of
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) and action.

Most of the medicinal plants listed out here have been collected from habitats like wet- lands (44), wayside t.hickets (1
66) and forests (289) (See Chart III). It is observed that the prevailing harvesting methods in case of most of these
plants are unsustainable. Because of the practices adopted the regeneration capacity of the plants is becoming a limited
factor in many cases. Also the habitats where most of the medicinal plants commonly occur are destroyed in various
ways. Our study shows that among the primary health care plants in the district, the practice of using the reproductive
part and the entire plant is more than that of using roots or leaves alone. Currently many of these medicinal plants are
available only in interior forests and thus the local raw drug collectors mostly women of tribal communities have to walk
a long distance inside the forests to collect these plants. Among the 637 medicinal plants listed with this publication,
trees and herbs are utilized more for medicinal purposes (See chart-I) The analysis shows that about 150 species are
collected for their stem, 139 for roots and 136 species for the whole plant (See chart-II)

This check- list is an attempt to (cid:31)nventories in a systematic manner all the known medicinally important species seen in
wild as well as grown in Wayanad district. We hope this compilation would stimulate the preparation of more publications
dealing with useful information on each of the species listed out in this booklet. I also hope this book- let will be useful
for those who want to know about the extent of diversity of medicinal plants in this part of Western Ghats.

13-09-2001 N. Anil Kumar
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S1. USEFUL
No. BOTANICAL NAME LOCAL NAME LOCAL NAME HABIT HABITAT PARTS

ACANTHACEAE
1 Andrographis atropurpurea (Denn) Kattukiriyath Herb Forest Whole Plant
Alston Im«p-In-cn-bm¯v
2 Asystasia gangetica (Linn.) T.Anders D¹nbw Uppliyam Herb Forest & Cultivated Whole Plant
3 Andrographis paniculata (Burm f.) Kiriyath Herb Cultivated Whole Plant
Wall. Incn-bm¯v
4 Barleria courtallica Nees Im«p-]mÀÆ-Xn, sh¬Ip- Kattuparvathi, Venkurinhi Herb Forest Leaf & Root
dnªn
5 Hygrophila ringens (L.) Steud. Neerchulli Herb Wet Land Slender twig &
\oÀ¨pÅn Leaf
6 Hygrophila schulli (Buch.-Ham.) M.R. Vayalchulli Herb Wet Land Whole Plant
& S.M. Almeida hb¨pÅn
7 Justicia adhatoda Linn. BS-tem-SIw Chittadalodakam Shrub Cultivated Root & Leaf
8 Justicia betonica Linn. A¸, shÅ-¡p-dnªn Appa, Vellakurinhi Shrub Way Side Root & Leaf
9 Justicia gendarussa Burm.f. Vathamkolli (Violet) Shrub Way Side Whole Plant
hmXw-sImÃn (hb-eäv)
10 Nilgirianthes auriculatus Nees Ipdnªn Kurinhi Shrub Forest Root
11 Strobilanthes ciliatus Nees Karinkurinhi Shrub Cultivated Stem bark &
Icn-¦p-dnªn Root
12 Thunbergia fragrans, Rox. apdn-Iq«n Murikootty Climbers Wayside Leaf
ADIANTACEAE
13 Adiantum capillus - veneris Linn. IpXn-c-hmen Kuthiravali Herb Walls Leaf
14 Adiantum caudatum Linn. ]p{Xw-Nmcn Puthramchari Herb Way Side Whole Plant
AIZOACEAE
15 Trianthema portulacastrum Linn. sImgp-¸-¨o-c, hjf¨oc English Cheera, Sambaar Herb Cultivated Leaf
Cheera

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ALANGIACEAE
16 Alangium salvifolium (Linn.f)Wang At¦mew Angolam S. T. Leaf & Root
Bark
AMARANTHACEAE
17 Achyranthes aspera Linn. IS-emSn Kadalady Herb Forest & Road Side Slender twig &
Root
18 Aerva lanata (L.) Juss. Cherula Herb Way Side Whole Plant
sNdqf
19 Alternanthera sessilis (Linn.) R.Br. Ponnamkanni Herb Paddy Field Whole Plant
s]m¶mw-I®n
20 Amaranthus spinosus Linn. apųNoc Mullancheera Herb Way side, Leaf & Root
Homestead
21 Amaranthus viridis Linn. sNdp-Noc Cherucheera Herb Way side, Whole Plant
Homestead
22 Cyathula prostrata (L.) Blume Cherukadalady Herb Way side, Whole Plant
sNdp-I-S-emSn Homestead
AMARYLLIDACEAE
23 Pancratium triflorum Roxb. Kattulli Herb Rock Crivices Tuber
Im«pÅn
ANACARDIACEAE
24 Anacardium occidentale Linn. ]d-¦n-amhv Parankimavu MT Cultivated Fruit, nut &stem
25 Buchanania lanzan Spreng. Kulamavu MT Forest Whole Plant
Ipf-amhv
26
Holigarna arnottiana Hook.f. tNcv Cheru MT Forest Stem
27
Holigarna nigra Bourd. ae-t©cv Malancheru LT Forest Stem &Fruit
28 Holigarna longifolia Buch Ham.ex.
Roxb. tNcv Cheru LT Forest Stem & Fruit
29
Lannea coromandelica (Houtt) Merr. Icbw (D-Zn) Kareayam (Udhi) MT Forest Bark
30 Fruit, Bark &
Mangifera indica Linn. amhv Mavu MT All over Gum
31 tX³sIm-«, Ae-¡p-
Semecarpus anacardium Linn.f. tNcv Thenkotta, Alakkucheru MT Forest Fruit
32
Spondias pinnata (Linn.f) Kurz. A¼gw Ambazham LT Forest Fruit & Bark
ANNONACEAE
33
Annona reticulata Linn. B¯-¸-gw, sh®oÀ¸gw Aathapazham, Vennirpazham ST Cultivated Fruit & Stem
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34
Annona squamosa Linn. Cu\mw ]gw Eenaam pazham ST Cultivated Fruit & Bark
35
Cananga odorata(Lam.) Hook.f.& Th. at\m-c-RvPn\n Manoranjini T Cultivated Flower
36
Miliusa tomentosa (Roxb.) Sinclair Im\-ss¡X Kanakaitha MT Forest Gum
37
Polyalthia longifolia (Sonner) Thw. Ac-W-acw Aranamaram MT Cultivated Stem
APIACEAE
38
Centella asiatica (Linn) Urban IpS-§Â/ap¯nÄ Kudangal / Muthii Herb Way side Whole Plant
39
Coriandrum sativum Linn. sIm¯-aÃn Kothamalli Herb Cultivated Whole Plant
40
Cuminum cyminum Linn. PocIw Jeerakam Herb Cultivated Seed
41
Daucus carota Linn. Imcäv Carrot Herb Cultivated Tuber
42
Eryngium foetidum. Linn. ssakqÀ aÃn Mysore Malli Herb Cultivated Whole Plant
43
Ferula asafoetida Linn. Imbw Kayam ST Cultivated Gum
APOCYNACEAE
44
Allamanda cathartica Linn. tImfm¼n Kolambi Shrub CultivatedlGarden Stem
45
Alstonia scholaris (Linn.) RBr. Ggn-ew-]me Ezhilampala LT Forest Bark, Root, Latex
46
Alstonia venenata RBr. Xo¸me Theepala ST Forest Fruit
47
Carissa carandas Linn. Shrub Cultivated Root
48
Carissa spinarum A.DC apÅn Mulli Shrub Way side Root
49
Catharanthus roseus (Linn.) G.Don \nXy IÃ-ymWn Nithya Kalyani Shrub Cultivated Whole Plant
50
Chonemorpha fragrans S.G.Don s]cpw-¦p-dp¼ Perumkurumba Climber Wayside Root
51 Holarrhena pubescens (Buch-Ham.)
Wall IpS-I-¸me Kudakapala ST Forest Stem & Bark
52 Bark, Leaf
Ichnocarpus frutescens RBr. ]mÂhÅn Palvally Climber Way Side &Root
53 Bark, Leaf &
Nerium oleander L. Acfn Arali ST Cultivated Root
54
Plumeria alba Linn. Cug-s¨-¼Iw Ezhachempakam ST Cultivated Latex
55
Rauvolfia serpentina (Linn.) Benth. AaÂs¸mcn/kÀ¸KÔn Amalpori, Sarpagandhi Shrub Way Side Whole Plant
56
Rauvolfia tetraphylla Linn. Shrub Way Side Whole Plant
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