Family: Fabaceae

Synonym:Desmodium pulchellum (L.) Benth.

Bengali/Vernacular name: Jutasalpani, Jata salpani.

English name: Angel’s locks.

Description of the plant: A shrub, 1-1.5 m high, branches slender, terete. Leaves 3-foliate; leaflets finely hairy beneath, the terminal one being oblong, 8-13 cm long, and more than twice as large as the two lateral ones.Inflorescence terminal and axillary, and 8-25 cm long.Flowers white, umbellate or fascicled, hidden by the distichous, orbicular bracts, which 1-1.5 cm in diameter.Fruitapod, oblong, hairy and usually of 2, rarely 1 or 3 joints.

Plant parts used: Leaf, bark, flower, root.

Herbal uses: An extract made with the plant; hot bath is advised to have with that extract once a day for three days to treat burning sensation of the body.

Paste prepared from the leaves of the plant is applied to treat wounds, and snake bite.

Decoction of bark isused to treat haemorrhage, diarrhoea, dysentery, poisoning, and eye diseases.

Decoction prepared from dried leavesof the plantisused for the treatment of cold and fever.

A paste made with the leaves of the plant is applied to the forehead to treat headache.

Decoction of dried roots isused to treat malaria, swelling, enlargement of liver and spleen, rheumatism, bone pain.

Flower decoctionis used forthe treatment of biliousness.

The plant is used for the treatment of typhoid, asthma, bronchitis, vomiting, piles, cholera, and scorpion sting.

Distribution: It is found in Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Khagrachari, and Dhaka districts.

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

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