Family: Nyctaginaceae
Synonym:Nyctago jalapae (L.) DC.
Bengali/Vernacular name: Sondhamaloti, Sondhamoni, Krishnokoli.
Tribal name: Khranaa-payn (Chak), Arta khuang pa (Lushai), Yeak kup chi (Murang), Ching-shey-apang (Rakhaing).
English name: Four o‘clock plant, Marvel of Peru, Beauty of the night.
Description of the plant: A perennial herb with a large tuberous root, up to 1.5 m tall. Leaves ovate, base cordate, apex acute, and margin slightly wavy. Flowers usually purple but very numerous colours are found, born solitary in the leaf axils. Fruit an anthocarp, ovoid, 5-ribbed, black when mature.
Plant parts used: Leaf, flower.
Herbal uses: Juice extracted from the leaves of the plant is taken three times a day (5 ml amount each time) for three days to treat urination problem.
Decoction prepared from the leaves of the plant is used to treat abscesses.
The leaf juice is used to treat wounds.
Paste prepared from the flowers of the plant is applied to treat headache.
A paste made with the leaves of the plant is used to treat scabies and muscular swellings.
The decoction of whole plant is used to treat vaginal discharge, dysentery, diarrhoea, abdominal colic, and muscle pain.
Poultice of leaves and flowers is used for eczema, skin infections, and itching treatment.
The plant is used for the treatment of dropsy, fever and reduces the inflammation, pain.
Distribution: Cultivated as an ornamental plant throughout the country.
Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….
