Aristolochia indica L.

 

Scientific Name: Aristolochia indica L.

Family: Aristolochiaceae

Synonym Aristolochia indica var. lanceolata (Wight) Duch.

Vernacular name: Eshwaramulla, Garudakodi, Kadalivegam, Karalakam

Habit: Climber

Habitat: Open dry deciduous forests and scrub jungles

Distribution: India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Malesia

Flowering and Fruiting: July-February

Key identification features: Glabrous shrub or herbaceous perennial plant; woody rootstock and long, slender, grooved, glabrous branches. Flowers in few flowered axillary racemes. Perianth-tube greenish-white, limb purple or brown. Capsule oblong or globose, pendulous; seeds winged.

 

Tribal Consumers: Adiya

Uses: Aristolochia indica is traditionally used in herbal medicine for its potential anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and digestive properties, often employed to treat ailments such as fevers and gastrointestinal disorders. Its leaves and roots are utilized in local practices for various therapeutic applications, although caution is advised due to potential toxicity.