
Plectranthus vettiveroides (K.C.Jacob)
N.P.Singh
& B.D.Sharma
Coleus
vettiveroides K.C.Jacob
LAMIACEAE (Labiatae)
Vernacular names:
Hindi
- Va/ak
Kannada - Lavanchi, Muchiva/a
Malayalam - /ruveli
Sanskrit - Va/skarn, Udicya
Tamil - Kuruver, Vettiver
Telugu - Kuriveru, Vettiveru
Threat status:
Not Evaluated - KA, KL & TN
Habit:
Herb
Habitat:
In sandy
loams along riverbanks in plains
Altitude:
25 -
500
m
Distribution:
Possibly
endemic, probably extinct in the wild. In the early
20th
century cultivated in a large scale in North Arcot, Coimbatore,
Madurai,
Thanjavur, Tirunelveli and Chengalpattu districts
in Tamil Nadu. Today it is under cultivation only in four
villages near Kollidam in Thanjavur district. Not available in
Karnataka and Kerala.
Description:
A
sub-succulent bushy pubescent herb, growing 30120
cm tall. Roots
fibrous, 30-60 cm long, forming a tuft, slender,
very thin,
easily cut-off, strongly fragrant, straw-colour when fresh,
changing dark on drying. Stems faintly 4-angled, light
brown, subsucculent, densely minutely hairy. Leaves
opposite, sub-orbicular to egg-shaped, 10-15 x 9-14 cm, base and
apex rounded, margin toothed with triangular teeth, sub-fleshy
to leathery, with dense white minute hairs on both surfaces;
lateral nerves 10-13 pairs, less prominent above, prominent
below, all nerves arising from the base of the leaves and
joining along the margins just below the dentations. Each
dentation about 1 cm long with 1 or 2 small lateral serrations;
leaf stalks 4-13 long, sub-succulent, minutely hairy, with a
central groove.
Phenology:
Flowers
and fruits have not been seen by anyone so far
Notes:
Probably
the only species of Coleus, not having fragrant leaves,
but scented roots. The local Tamil name 'vettiver
originally referred only to Coleus vettiveroides. I n
recent times the name' vettiver' is erroneously applied
to an entirely different grass species, Vetiveria zizanioides,
whose root posses the same properties. V. zizanioides
is known by two linguistic names, Velamichai veT in Tamil
and Ramacham in Malayalam. As Coleus vettiveroides
is becoming rare and the roots not readily available in the
market, roots of the easily available V. zizanioides is
substituted. Consequently the name' vettiver' is bei ng
taken over by the latter from the former.
Medicinal uses:
Roots are
antipyretic, used in treating burning eyes, diarrhoea, fever,
intrinsic haemorrhage, hyperdipsia, strangury, leprosy,
leucoderma, ulcer, vomiting, skin diseases, giddiness, headache,
insanity and quenching thirst. Also used to promote the growth
of hair.
Trade
information:
Local.
Dried roots are sold in Chennai at Rs.
120.00
to 150.00
per kg. and fresh roots at Rs. 40.00 to 60.00 per kg. In
southern India the roots are used as a substitute of Taggar (Valeriana
jatamans/).
Mode of
propagation:
By stem
cuttings
Special
characters:
This plant
is almost similar to Coleus aromaticus
(Karpoora
valli -
Tami_.
Leaves are not
fragrant at all. The roots, however,
are strongly scented.