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CLASSIFICATION

ORDER	: Piperales
FAMILY	: Piperaceae
GENUS	: Piper L.
SPECIES	: betle L.
BOTANICAL NAME	: Piper betle L.
SYNONYMS	: ---
COMMON NAME	: Betel vine.
TAMIL NAME	: Vettillai
HINDI NAME	: Paan

PLANT DESCRIPTION

HABIT :  A perennial dioecious climber, quite glabrous or with the petioles puberulous, stem and branches stout climbing compressed when dry.

LEAVES :  Large coriaceous petioled obliquely ovate-oblong or rounded ovate-cordate 5-7 nerved, base often unequal.

INFLORESCENCE :  Spikes long and long peduncled. Male spikes 3-6 in.,female spikes long-peduncled.

FRUITS :  Very fleshy and often confluent into a cylindric fleshy red mass.Stout 1-5 in. pendulous.

MEDICINAL USES

The leaves, roots and seeds are all used for medicinal purposes in Asia. Leaf preparations and the leaf sap are applied to wounds, ulcers, boils and bruises.

Heated leaves are applied as a poultice on the chest against cough and asthma, on the breasts to stop milk secretion, and on the abdomen to relieve constipation.

The leaves are also used to treat nosebleed, ulcerated noses, gums and mucous membranes while the extract from the leaves is applied for wounds in the ears and as an infusion for the eye. A decoction of the leaves is used to bathe a woman after childbirth, or is drunk to lessen an unpleasant body odour.

IMAGES

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