Operculina turpethum (L.) Silva Manso

Merremia turpethum (L.) Shah & Bhat                                  

Ipomoea turpethum (L.) A.Br.

CONVOLVULACEAE

 

 

Vernacular names:

Hindi                - Nisoth, Pitohri

Kannada           - Nagadanti, Oevadanti

Malayalam         - Trikolpakkonna

Marathi             - Nishottara

Sanskrit            - Trivrit, Tribhandi

Tamil                - Sivadai, Pagandrai

Telugu              - Tegada

 

Threat status:

Vulnerable (A 1 c,d) - KA Endangered (A 1 c,d) - KL

Lower Risk near threatened - TN

 

Habit: Climber

 

Habitat: Coastal plains to moist deciduous forests

 

Altitude: Sea level to 1000 m

 

Distribution: Global: Africa, Tropical Asia and Australia. National: Recorded throughout the warmer parts. Regional: In Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, recorded in the drier zones but nowhere abundant. In Kerala, recorded only in the disturbed forests of drier regions.

 

Description: A perennial stout massive climbing shrub on thickets. Branchlets often angled or winged and twisted. Leaves alternate, usually not lobed rarely shallowly lobed, broadly egg-shaped to heart-shaped, 5-12 x 4-12 cm, base truncate to slightly heart-shaped, apex acute, margin entire, papery, with scattered hairs; lateral nerves 6-8 pairs, lower 2 pairs arising from the base; leaf stalks 3-6 cm long. Flowers bisexual, axillary, solitary or in few flowered cymes, with long stalks, white, funnel-shaped, about 4 cm long and about 3 cm across; bracts and sepals are larger and conspicuous. Capsules depressed globose, about 2.5 x 2 cm, enclosed by enlarged woody calyx-lobes, splitting irregularly or opening at top. Seeds 1-4, black, smooth.

 

Phenology: Flowering & Fruiting: October to March

 

Medicinal uses: The roots are purgative, anthelmintic, antipyretic and hepatic stimulant. Used for treatment of bronchitis, obesity, ascites, worms, skin diseases, swellings of lymph glands, inflammation, intermittent fever, leucoderma, ulcers, bleeding piles, tumours, jaundice and ophthalmia. Leaf powder is used in the treatment of malarial fever and abdominal disorders.

 

Trade information: Regional, national and global. Roots are traded as Nisoth or Kaali nisoth; priced at Rs.17 to 25/Kg. (Market Studies, 1999­2000). Commercial samples are sometimes found adulterated with stem pieces of the same species. Substantial quantities of this raw drug are reported to be imported into India.

 

Mode of propagation: By seeds

 

Special characters: Young stems are often angled or winged. Flowers open after 9 a.m. Fruits are enclosed within the calyx-lobes. Calyx­lobes large, conspicuous, sub-fleshy when young, woody when dry.