Scientific name: Canna indica L.
Family: Cannaceae
Synonym: Canna occidentalis Ker Gawl., Canna macrophylla Horan.
Bengali/Vernacular name: Kalaboti, Shorbojoya.
Tribal name: Chudaw-payn (Chak), Diggi-walsun (Garo), Holabe phul (Chakma), Bawngkawr (Lushai), Tea-teng (Murang), Bawnkawr (Pangkhoa), Khom-lyru-dong (Tripura).
English name: Indian short, Canna lily, African arrowroot.
Description of the plant: A perennial rhizomatous herb, aerial stem light green to chocolate coloured. Leaves simple, spirally arranged, lanceolate to ovate, caudate-acuminate. Flowers large, red, orange coloured, rather distant, in terminal spike. Fruit a capsule, warty outside.
Plant parts used: Leaf, rhizome.
Ethnomedicinal uses: A paste is made with the rhizome of the plant is applied externally on the abdomen twice a day to treat abdominal pain.
A decoction is prepared from the rhizome with fermented rice is used for the treatment of gonorrhoea and amenorrhoea.
Leaves of the plant are used for the treatment of malaria.
A paste is made with the leaves of the plant is applied to treat boils and tonsillitis.
Distribution: The species occurs throughout the country under cultivated condition.
Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….
