Scientific name: Nymphoides hydrophylla (Lour.) Kuntze

Family: Menyanthaceae

Synonym: Menyanthes hydrophyllum Lour.

Bengali/Vernacular name: Chand mala, Chandmona.

Tribal name: Krajeeng-kashey-pawn (Rakhaing).

English name: Crested floating heart.

Description of the plant: A floating annual herb, with long branches, which reach the surface of the water, producing a node from which start a tuft of roots and a cluster of flowers. Leaves orbicular, deeply cordate, and purplish with green veins. Flowers densely fascicled at the nodes, corolla white, yellow towards the base within, 2 cm across when expanded. Capsules broadly ovoid or subglobose, 10-20 seeded.

Nymphoides hydrophylla 

Plant parts used: Leaf, seed.

Ethnomedicinal uses: Leaves of the plant are used for the treatment of fever and jaundice.

Leaves are pounded with oil and applied to insect bites to treat it.

Leaf paste is used in scorpion sting and snake bite to treat it.

A fresh juice is extracted from the leaves of the plant is applied as a drop against in eye disease to treat it.

Decoction is prepared from leaves of the plant is used as a wash for parasitic skin infection.

Powder prepared from the seeds of the plant is given in worm infestation.

Distribution: It is common throughout the country in lakes, ponds, and ditches.

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

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