Achyranthes aspera
| Achyranthes aspera | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
Achyranthes aspera (common name: devil's horsewhip)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in situ.
Cultivation: Cultivated as a food crop in China[1].
Range: E. Asia - Himalayas to Australia.
Habitat: Open dry places at elevations up to 2000 metres in Nepal[4]. More or less naturalized as a weed in waste ground in southern Europe[3].
Edibility: Leaves - cooked[5][6]. Used as a spinach substitute[1].
Seed - cooked[5][6]. he seeds are said to be eaten with milk in order to check hunger without loss of body weight[4].
Medicinal: One of the more important mdicinal herbs of Nepal, it is widely used in the treatment of a range of complaints.
Ophthalmic[7].
The root is astringent, diuretic and antispasmodic[7][8][4]. It is used in the treatment of dropsy, rheumatism, stomach problems, cholera, skin diseases and rabies[7][4].
The juice extracted from the root of this plant, mixed with the root of Urena lobata and the bark of Psidium guajava, is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery[4].
The plant is astringent, digestive, diuretic, laxative, purgative and stomachic[4]. The juice of the plant is used in the treatment of boils, diarrhoea, dysentery, haemorrhoids, rheumatic pains, itches and skin eruptions[4].
The ash from the burnt plant, often mixed with mustard oil and a pinch of salt, is used as a tooth powder for cleaning teeth[4]. It is believed to relieve pyorrhea and toothache[4].
The leaf is emetic and a decoction is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery[4]. A paste of the leaves is applied in the treatment of rabies, nervous disorders, hysteria, insect and snake bites[4].
Usage: The ash from the burnt plant, often mixed with mustard oil and a pinch of salt, is used as a tooth powder for cleaning teeth[4].
The dried twigs are used as toothbrushes[4].
The ash of the burnt plant is a rich source of potash. It is used for washing clothes[4].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Read, Bernard. Famine Foods Listed in the Chiu Huang Pen Ts'ao. Taipei Southern Materials Centre, 1977.
- ↑ Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 Manandhar, Narayan. Plants and People of Nepal. Timber Press, 2002.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cribb, Alan and Joan Cribb. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana, 1976.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Lassak, Erich and Tara McCarthy. Australian Medicinal Plants.
- ↑ Stuart, George. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei Southern Materials Centre.