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Transparent Wood Rose
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Transparent Wood Rose
ative Photo: Prashant Awale
Common name: Transparent Wood Rose, White day glory, Indian jalap, Turpeth root • Hindi: निशोथ Nisoth, निशोधि Nishodhi • Kannada: Aalutigade, Alutigade, Bilenagadanti, Bili tigade • Malayalam: Chivaka, Rochani, Sarala, Sivata, Tribhandi, Trikolpakkonna • Marathi: Nasottar • Nepali: निसोथ Nisoth • Sanskrit: त्रिपुट Triputa, त्रिवृथ Trivrutha, निशोत्र Nishotra • Tamil: கும்பஞ்சான் Kumpncan, சரளம் Caralam, சிவதை Chivatai, பகன்றை Paganrai • Telugu: తెగడ Tegada, త్రివృత్ తెల్లతెగ Trivrut Tellatega • Urdu: Turbud safaid ﺗﹹﺮﺑﹹﺪ ﺳﻔﻴﺪ
Botanical name: Operculina turpethum    Family: Convolvulaceae (Morning glory family)
Synonyms: Merremia turpethum, Ipomoea turpethum

Transparent Wood Rose is a herbaceous, somewhat hairy vine reaching a length of 5 meters or more. The stems are often purplish, prominently 2- to 4- angled, and narrowly winged. The leaves are entire, ovate, 5-15 cm long, narrowing to a pointed tip, and broad, somewhat heart-shaped, or straight at the base. The inflorescences (cymes) have few straight flowers and are borne in the axils of the leaves. The sepals are green, and ovate to oblong-ovate; the outer two, 2-3 cm long, are larger than the inner three, and hairy, somewhat fleshy, and usually purplish on the fruit. The corolla is white, bell-shaped, and about 4 cm long, with the limb 4 cm wide. The transluscent capsules are rounded, being 1-1.5 cm in diameter, and contain normally 4 black, smooth seeds. Transparent Wood Rose is found in Somalia to S. Tropical Africa, W. Indian Ocean, Tropical & Subtropical Asia to Pacific. It is also found in East Himalaya at altitudes of 600 m.
Medicinal uses: In the Philippines the root, either pulverized or in alcoholic tincture, is employed as a drastic purgative. The dried and powdered root-bark is considered cathartic and laxative, resembling jalap in its action. It is a drastic purgative of phlegmatic humors and bile. With ginger, it is particularly beneficial in rheumatic and paralytic affections. In India the fresh bark of the root is rubbed with milk and employed as a purgative.

Identification credit: Prashant Awale Photographed at Chembur, Mumbai & Dalam sanctuary, Jharkhand.

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