Rorippa indica

Scientific name: Rorippa indica (L.) Hiern

Family: Brassicaceae

Synonym: Nasturtium indicum (L.) DC.

Bengali/Vernacular name: Ban sarisha.

Tribal name: Sarisha gaith (Tripura).

English name: Yellow cress, Indian field cress, Variable leaf yellow cress.

Description of the plant: An annual or biennial herb, 20-60 cm tall, glabrous or rarely sparsely pubescent. Stem often branched basally and apically. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, margin denticulate or serrulate; lower leaves lobed at the base; upper leaves dentate above the base, subentire at the apex. Racemes terminal, many-flowered, much elongate; flowers small, yellow. Pods straight or slightly curved.

Plant parts used: Leaf and stem.

Medicinal uses: Pea-sized pills are made from leaves and stems of the plant is taken thrice a day (one pill each time) until the asthma is cured.

Burning ashes is made from leave and stems of the plant are used for tooth brushing thrice a day until the pyorrhoea is cured.

Distribution: All over the country in waste lands.

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