Lobelia zeylanica L.

Family: Campanulaceae

Synonym: Lobelia hirta L.                            

Bengali/Vernacular name: Cylon lobel.

English name: Ceylon lobelia. 

Description of the Plant:  A sparsely hairy to subglabrous herb, up to 28 cm high. Stem ascending to suberect. Leaves ovate or broadly ovate, petiolate, acute or obtuse, puberulous or pubescent at the base. Flowers solitary, axillary, violet or purple. Fruit a capsule, obconical to obovoide, sparsely pilose, yellowish brown; seeds 4 mm long.       

Plant parts Used: Leaf.

Traditional Uses: The pounded leaves are sometimes used in the treatment of sprue.
Paste prepared from the plant is applied to treat boils, insect bites, and ringworm.
The plant is used for breathing problems including asthma, bronchitis, whooping cough, and shortness breath in newborn infants.  
Traditionally the plant is used in the treatment of irregular menstruation, and spermatorrhea.
A decoction made with the leaves of the plant is given to treat difficult urination.
The plant is used for the treatment of stomach-ache, scabies, infected eyes, and swellings. 

Distribution: It is found all over the country.

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