Indian Sarsaparilla is a vine, which trails on the ground and climbs by
means of tendrils growing in pairs from the petioles of the alternate,
orbicular to ovate, evergreen leaves. The vine emerges from a long,
tuberous rootstock, and can reach up to 1-3 m. The hindi name Anantamool
literally means, endless root. The small, greenish flowers
grow in auxiliary umbels. The flower cymes are stalkless. Flowers have 5
petals, greenish on the outside and purple to yellowish orange on the
inside. The flower petals are fleshy, typical of the Oleander family to
which it belongs. Now the Oleander family has been incorporated in the
Oleander family. Flowering: October-January.
Medicinal uses: It is one of the Rasayana plants of Ayurveda, as
it is anabolic in its effect. It is used for venereal diseases, herpes, skin diseases, arthritis, rheumatism, gout, epilepsy, insanity, chronic
nervous
diseases, abdominal distention, intestinal gas, debility, impotence and
turbid urine.
Identification credit: Prashant Awale
Photographed at Korigad, Maharashtra.
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The flower labeled Indian Sarsaparilla is ...