what-plant-is-this: 2012

Wednesday 28 November 2012

Karisalankanni

This is also called as 'khayantharai keerai' in tamil language.

The Tamilnadu Agricultural University portal in this link

http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/horticulture/horticulture_gallery/medicinal_crops/index.html

has picture like this

But in kanyakumari district the below plants are called as Kayantharai by the locals.

The above plants are not kodupai keerai though it looks like that. It is not brahmi also as its flowers does not look like that. It is not karisalankanni as it is identified as below in an image from the web.

Karisalankanni is also called as kayonni.

Kayonni is also botanically called Eclipta alba.

In Wikipedia the page

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclipta_alba which says both Eclipta prostrata and Eclipta alba are same,

has pictures of this plant which is more different looking, such as this:

Friday 23 November 2012

Bacopa Monnieri

In Tamil, the plant is called neer brahmi.

In Hindi, it is known as brahmi.

It is known as moneywort by aquatic enthusiasts and brahmi among herbalists.

It is also called as water hyssop.

There is 'some' confusion regarding the identity of bacopa monnieri and Centella asiatica.

Centella asiatica is called Indian Pennywort and looks like this:

but it is not bacopa monnieri.

Brahmi is available in capsule forms from two well known Indian companies.

1. Himalaya Pharmaceuticals.
2. Organic India.