Family: Melastomataceae
Synonym: Arthrostemma paniculatum D. Don
Bengali/Vernacular name: Chokha.
Tribal name: Uksheo (Murang).
English name: Bristletips.
Description of the Plant: A shrub to 2 m tall, with spreading, drooping branches. Leaves are elliptic acute, with 5-7 prominent parallel veins and numerous fine cross veins. Leaves have rusty star-shaped hairs beneath. Flowers 2 cm long, occurring in long pendulous pyramidal clusters, with sepals, petals and flower-stalk, all pinkish-purple. Elliptic petals fall soon. Stamens are 8 in number, with 4 longer with curved filaments and purple anthers, and 4 shorter with yellow anthers. Fruit a capsule obovoid.
Plant parts Used: Leaf.
Traditional
Uses: A paste prepared from the leaves of the plant is applied to treat
gout, and edema.
A root extract is taken for the treatment of orchitis.
Leaves of the plant are used for the treatment of liver disorder, stomachache.
Leaf paste is used as antidote against snake poisoning.
The plant is used to treat mental disorder.
Juice extracted from the leaves of the plant is given for remedy of weakness.
Distribution: This species is reported from Hazarikhil forests of Chittagong district.
Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….
