Scientific name: Lathyrus sativus L.
Family: Fabaceae
Synonym: Lathyrus asiaticus (Zalkind) Kudr.
Bengali/Vernacular name: Kheshari.
English name: Grass pea, Chickling pea.
Description of the plant: A procumbent, much branched herb. Leaves alternate, even pinnate, leaflets 2-4, entire, linear-lanceolate, sessile, 5-7 cm long. Flowers axillary, solitary, blue, or purple with white keel. Fuit a pod, oblong, retuse, flattened, dorsally winged, 3-5 seeded. Seeds globose or angled, white, brown, grey, or mottled.
Plant parts used: Seed.
Ethnomedicinal uses: Infusion prepared from the seeds of the plant is taken for the treatment of constipation.
5 gm seeds of the plant are soaking in hot water overnight, next days this water is taken three to four times to releif vomiting.
A paste is made with the seeds of the plant, after warming it is applied on the affected part of the body once a day until the rheumatism and paralysis is cured.
Distribution: It is cultivated throughout the country as a winter pulse.
Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….
