Helianthus annuus L.

Family: Asteraceae

Synonym:Helianthus multiflorus Hook.

Bengali/Vernacular name: Surjomukhi.

Tribal name: Nipu-jaw-payn (Chak), Nihawi-par (Lushai), Sath-paw (Murang), Namheiper (Pangkhoa), Negaa-bawn (Rakhaing).

English name: Sunflower.

Description of the plant: A coarse, stout, and erect annual plant, up to 1-3 m high. Stems straight, rarely branched. Leaves opposite at the lower part of the stem, alternate above, ovate, rough, hairy, with toothed margins, long-stalked, 10-25 cm long. Lower leaves somewhat heart-shaped. Flower heads solitary or in clusters, up to 40 cm across. Disk florets yellow to brown, with tubular, 5-limbed corolla. Ray florets yellow and spreading.Involucral bracts ovate or oblong. Fruit a cypsela, oblong, thick.

Plant parts used: Leaf, flower, Seed.

Herbal uses: The seeds of the plant are used in remedies for cancer, malaria, and menorrhagia.

Tea prepared from flowers, dried or fresh leaves is used for facilitating expectoration, relieving cough, cold.

Poultice of leaves is used for sores, insect bites treatment.

Decoction prepared from the seeds of the plant is taken twice a day (20 ml amount each time) until the asthma is cured.

Paste prepared from the seeds of the plant is applied to the navel region once a day for the treatmennttreatment of dysureadysuria.

The seeds of the plant are used in cardiac weakness treatment.

Flower decoction used for malaria and lung problems treatment.

A paste made with the seeds of the plant is applied to snake bite and wounds to treat it.

Distribution: It is mainly grown in the gardens for ornamental purpose, but now-a-days, it is also cultivated in the field as an edible oil-yielding plant.

Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….