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CLASSIFICATION

ORDER	: Asterales
FAMILY	: Asteraceae
GENUS	: Sphaeranthus
SPECIES	: indicus
BOTANICAL NAME	: Sphaeranthus indicus L.
SYNONYMS	: ---
COMMON NAME	: Indian sphaeranthus.
TAMIL NAME	: Kotaikkarantai
HINDI NAME	: Gorakhmundi

PLANT DESCRIPTION

HABIT :  A much branched small herb with stem and branches cylindric, with toothed wings glandular-hairy.

LEAVES :  Sessile, decurrent, obovate-oblong, rounded, glandular-hairy, spinuous-serrate, narrow at base.

FLOWERS :  Globose, ovoid heads of reddish-purple colour or solitary glandular peduncles with toothed wings, outer flowers female inner bisexual.

FLOWERING AND FRUITING TIME :  November - January

MEDICINAL USES

Ayurvedic system of medicine to treat vitiated conditions of epilepsy, mental illness, hemicrania, jaundice, hepatopathy, diabetes, leprosy, fever, pectoralgia, cough, gastropathy, hernia, hemorrhoids, helminthiasis, dyspepsia and skin diseases.

Sphaeranthus indicus Linn. is known as East Indian globe thistle. It is found to be useful in skin diseases like psoriasis and acne.

Unani and other traditional medicines as a blood purifier, aphrodisiac, eye tonic, tonic for vital organs, and anti-inflammatory properties.

IMAGES

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