Saturday 19 February 2011

Arali (Nerium indicum)






Arali (Nerium indicum) is an ornamental plant known for its bright pink to red flowers. Though the flowers make great visual display, they are also highly poisonous.
The plants grow as big shrub, reaching a height of 3 m. The milky secretion from leaves and seeds has toxic effects. The plant is grown in almost all parts of Kerala India, except in frosty and desert conditions.
Propagation can be either through stem cuttings or seeds.
Arali, also common oleander or pink oleander has different medicinal properties too. It is used as a diuretic, expectorant and emetic.
Nerium indicum belongs to the family apocynaceae.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Apocynoideae
Tribe: Wrightieae
Genus: Nerium
L.
Species: N. oleander
Binomial name
Nerium oleander
L.
Synonyms
Nerium indicum Mill.
Nerium odorum Aiton
Ambal (Nymphaea stellata)


Ambal (Nymphaea stellata), also known as water lily or blue lotus is a common flowering water flower, as much popular as lotus in India.
According to Indian mystics, lotus is the better half of sun while water lily is of moon.
The aquatic plant has roots firmly on the bottom of a pond or river, while the leaves and flowers float above water-level. There are different varieties of water lilies found in Indian water bodies. The plant is also found as an ornamental plant in almost all over the world.
Aambal is the Malayalam word for the plant.
Water lily is used in different Ayurvedic medicine preparations too. The rhizome is the main usable part. It is used in the treatment of diarrhea, certain skin diseases, piles, and diseases that affect urinary tract and kidney. The leaves and seeds of the plant are used in stomach upset.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
Order: Nymphaeales
Family: Nymphaeaceae
Genus: Nymphaea
L.
Species
About 50 species, including:
Nymphaea alba - European White Water-lily
Nymphaea amazonum
Nymphaea ampla
Nymphaea blanda
Nymphaea caerulea - Egyptian Blue Water-lily
Nymphaea calliantha
Nymphaea candida
Nymphaea capensis - Cape Blue Water-lily
Nymphaea citrina
Nymphaea colorata
Nymphaea elegans
Nymphaea fennica
Nymphaea flavovirens
Nymphaea gardneriana
Nymphaea gigantea - Australian Water-lily
Nymphaea heudelotii
Nymphaea jamesoniana
Nymphaea leibergii - Dwarf Water-lily
Nymphaea lotus - Egyptian White Water-lily
Nymphaea lotus var. termalis Nymphaea macrosperma - Native to Australia's Top End
Nymphaea mexicana - Yellow Water-lily
Nymphaea micrantha
Nymphaea nouchali - Red and blue water lily (National flower of Sri Lanka)
Nymphaea odorata - Fragrant Water-lily
Nymphaea pubescens - Hairy water lily (National flower of Bangladesh)
Nymphaea rubra - India Red Water-lily
Nymphaea rudgeana
Nymphaea stuhlmannii
Nymphaea sulfurea
Nymphaea tetragona - Pygmy Water-lily
Nymphaea thermarum

HERBAL PLANTS


    • Flowers
    • Leaves
    • Roots
    • Trees 

 

Flowers of Kerala –India

Kerala’s climate is so blessed that many types of flowers grow abundantly and naturally in the soil. Many flowers are so common and some are very rare. Some flowers are found on almost all household, while some are found only in specific locations of forests. There are different types of orchids that can’t be found elsewhere outside the silent valley forest of Kerala.
Different climates support different types of plants and flowers. Almost all types of flowers in south India are found in Kerala too. Trekkers identify new variety of orchids from the forests of Kerala.
Flowers have a prominent place in the pooja rooms (prayer rooms) of Kerala, temples and churches. The most common types of flowers are china rose (hibiscus), rose, orchids and a wide variety of wild flowers.
Many of the flowers are of interest to Ayurveda practitioners because of their medicinal properties. The most common hibiscus flowers form a part of natural herbal shampoo that cleans the heads and hair of village women.
Some flowers are poisonous too. Such flowers usually have a repelling smell too.
The flowers of many plants go into the production of Ayurvedic medicines, along with leaves, seeds, fruits and roots.

1.Ambal (Nymphaea stellata) -Flowers of India

2. Arali (Nerium indicum)

3Arutha (Ruta Graveolens) -Flowers of Kerala

4.Balipoovu (Aerva Lanata) Flowers of Kerala

5.Chempakam (Michelia champaca)

6.Mukkutti (Biophytum Sensitivum) -Flowers of Kerala

7. Mulla (Jasminum grandiflorum)

8.Sankhupushpam (Clitoria ternatea) -Flowers of Kerala

9.Savam Nari (Catharanthus Roseus) Flowers of Kerala