Healing Herbs of India

Botanical Name: Vinca rosea (Catharanthus roseus)Family Name: ApocynaceaeKingdom: PlantaeDivision: Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)Class: Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)Order: GentianalesFamily: ApocynaceaeTribe: AlsloniaeGenus: CatharanthusSpecies: C. roseusPopular Names: Rose Periwinkle, Madagascar Periwinkle, Sadabahar, Old MaidParts Used: Seed, Root, Whole plant, LeafHabitat: Grows throughout India and found as an escape in waste places and sandy tractsDescriptionCape periwinkle is an attractive, evergreen shrub, bearing […]

Botanical Name: Valeriana WallichiiFamily Name: ValerianaceaeKingdom: PlantaeDivision: MagnoliophytaClass: MagnoliopsidaOrder: DipsacalesFamily: ValerianaceaeGenus: ValerianaSpecies: V. wallichiPopular Names: Valerian Jatamansi, Taggar, Tagara, All-heal, Amantilla, Baldrian, Great Wild, Valerian PhuPart Used: RhizomesHabitat: Temperate zone of North Western Himalayas up to an altitude of 3,000 metres.DescriptionIndian valerian is an erect, perennial plant that grows to a height of 4 feet

Botanical Name: Tinospora CordifoliaFamily Name: MeninspermaceaeKingdom: PlantaeDivision: MagnoliophytaClass: MagnoliopsidaOrder: RanunculalesFamily: MenispermaceaeGenus: TinosporaSpecies: T. cordifoliaPopular Names: Gulanshe Tinospara, Gulancha Tinospara, Tinospara, GiloyPart Used: Stem.Habitat: North and South IndiaDescriptionGuduchi is a glabrous climbing shrub with a succulent stem and papery bark that is creamy white to grey in colour. The shrub shoots out aerial roots, usually on

Botanical Names: Terminalia Chebula, Terminalia ReticulataFamily Name: CombretaceaeKingdom: PlantaeDivision: MagnoliophytaClass: MagnoliopsidaOrder: MyrtalesFamily: CombretaceaeGenus: TerminaliaSpecies: T. chebulaPopular Names: Black Myrobalan, Chebulic Myrobalan, Hardh, Ink Tree, Harar, Hardad, Indian Gall NutParts Used: Fruit, Root, BarkHabitat: Grown throughout IndiaDescriptionThe deciduous Haritaki tree grows at an altitude of 1,800 metres. The round tree is crowned and braches spread out,

Botanical Names: Beleric, Belliric Myrobalan, BaehraFamily Name: CombretaceaeKingdom: PlantaeDivision: MagnoliophytaClass: MagnoliopsidaOrder: MyrtalesFamily: CombretaceaeGenus: TerminaliaSpecies: T. belliricaPopular Names: Beleric Myrobalan, Bibhitaki, Bahera, Bahira, Bilhitak, Baheda, Vibhidhaka, Bastard Myrobalan, Bedda Nut.Part Used: Fruit.Habitat: Grown throughout India.DescriptionBeleric is a large deciduous tree found throughout India, in areas up to an altitude of 1,000 metres. The tree takes a

Botanical Name: Solanum xanthocarpumFamily Name: SolanaceaeKingdom: PlantaeDivision: MagnoliophytaClass: MagnoliopsidaOrder: SolanalesFamily: SolanaceaeGenus: SolanumSpecies: S. xanthocarpumPopular Names: Yellow-Berried Nightshade, Choti Katheri, Kantkari, KateliParts Used: Fruits, Whole PlantHabitat: Throughout IndiaDescriptionKantkari, botanically known as Solanum Xanthocarpum, is a very spiny diffused herb, with a height of up to 1.2 metres. The young branches are densely covered with minute star-shaped

Botanical Name: Convolvulus pluricaulisKingdom: PlantaeDivision: MagnoliophytaClass: MagnoliopsidaOrder: SolanalesFamily: GentianaceaeGenus: ConvolvulusSpecies: MIcrophyllusPopular Names: Sankh Pushpi, Shankhini, Kambumalini, Samkhapushpi, SankaphuliParts Used: Entire plant and juiceHabitat: Found in India and BurmaDescriptionShankhapushpi is a perennial herb that seems like morning glory. Its branches are spread on the ground and can be more than 30 cm long. The flowers are

Botanical Name: Polygala Senega, Polygala VulgarisKingdom: PlantaeDivision: MagnoliophytaClass: MagnoliopsidaOrder: FabalesFamily: PolygalaceaeGenus: PolygalaSpecies: P. amarellaPopular Name: Seneca snakerootPart Used: RootsHabitat: Cultivated in IndiaDescriptionPolygala Senega has a perennial branching root, from which several erect, simple, smooth, round, and leafy stems annually rise, around nine inches to a foot in height. The stems are occasionally tinged with red

Botanical Name: Smilax regeliiKingdom: PlantaeDivision: MagnoliophytaClass: MagnoliopsidaOrder: LilialesFamily: SmilacaceaeGenus: SmilaxSpecies: S. regeliiPopular Names: Indian Sarasaparilla, AnantamoolPart Used: RootHabitat: Found in Central IndiaDescriptionSarsaparilla is a woody wine that can grow up to a height of 50 m. It has small flowers and black, blue or red fruits, in berry-like form, which are eaten by the birds.

Botanical Name: Sapindus MukorossiFamily Name: SapindaceaeKingdom: PlantaeSub-kingdom: Tracheobionta (Vascular plants)Division: Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)Class: Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)Sub-class: RosidaeOrder: SapindalesFamily: Sapindaceae (Soapberry family)Tribe: AndropogoneaeGenus: Sapindus (Soapberry)Species: Sapindus Mukorossi (Chinese soapberry)Popular Names: Soapnut, Soap Nut, Soapberry, Soap Berry, Washnut, and Wash Nut, Ritha, Aritha, Dodan, Doadni, Doda, Kanma and ThaliParts Used: Soapnuts, Soapnut Shells, Soapnut Shells PowderHabitat: Temperate to

Botanical Name: Santalum AlbumKingdom: PlantaeDivision: MagnoliophytaClass: MagnoliopsidaOrder: SantalalesFamily: SantalaceaeGenus: SantalumSpecies: S. albumPopular Names: Sandalwood, Chandana, White sandalwood, Yellow Sandalwood, Chandan, Chandanam, SrigandhaParts Used: Wood and OilHabitat: Grown primarily in IndiaDescriptionSandalwood can be described as the fragrant woods yielded by trees in the genus Santalum. The stem grows 20 to 30 feet high, is heavy and

Botanical Name: Chlorophytum BorivilianumKingdom: PlantaeClass: MonocotyledonsSeries: CoronarieaeFamily: LiliaceaeGenus: ChlorophytumSpecies: C. borivilianumPopular Names: Safed Moosli, Shaqaqule, Dholi Musli, Khiruva, Shedheveli, Swetha Musli, Taniravi ThangParts Used: Seeds and rootsHabitat: Northern and western IndiaDescriptionSafed musli is a medicinal plant, with small, usually white flowers, produced on sparse panicles up to 120 cm long. In some species of the

Botanical Name: Rosa CentifoliaKingdom: PlantaeDivision: MagnoliophytaClass: MagnoliopsidaOrder: RosalesFamily: RosaceaeGenus: RosaSpecies: R. centifoliaPopular Names: Red Rose, Pink RoseParts Used: Red Rose petals, Pink Rose petals, Rose oil, Rose leaves, Rose buds, Rose Calyx, Rose roots.Habitat: Cultivated throughout IndiaDescriptionRose plants are usually shrubby, in appearance with long drooping canes and greyish green leaves. The flowers are round

Botanical Name: Rheum EmodiKingdom: PlantaeDivision: MagnoliophytaClass: MagnoliopsidaOrder: CaryophyllalesFamily: PolygonaceaeGenus: RheumSpecies: R. rhabarbarumPopular Names: Himalayan Rhubarb, Indian Rhubarb, Thuzna, Revat ChinniPart Used: SeedsHabitat: Grown throughout the valleys in Himalayan region at an altitude of 3200m-5200mDescriptionRhubarb is a group of herbaceous perennial plants that grow from thick short rhizomes, comprising the genus Rheum. The large, somewhat triangular

Botanical Name: Punica GranatumKingdom: PlantaeDivision: MagnoliophytaClass: MagnoliopsidaSubclass: RosidaeOrder: MyrtalesFamily: LythraceaeGenus: PunicaSpecies: P. granatumPopular Name: AnarParts Used: Seeds, FlowersHabitat: Commonly cultivated as an ornamental and fruit tree in the southwest zones of AsiaDescriptionPunica granatum, commonly known as Pomegranate, is a species of fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree, growing to 5-8 m height. The leaves are