MEDICINAL PLANTS OF SIKKIM

 

 

Basic Information

 

               

Species                                   : Rhododendron cinnabarium Hook.F

Local Name                            : Blue sano chemal (Nep), Kechung kema (Lep)

Synonym                                :

Family                                     : Ericaceae

Habitat                                   : A vary variable large shrub up to 4.2 m in height. Thrives well

                                               in cold region.

Distribution                            : Distributed to sub-alpine and alpine region.

Sikkim                                     : Hillay, Lachung-Yumthang, Chumb  -Fir, Rhododendron, Hemlock and blue pine forests of East and West

                                                 Sikkim, 2750-3200 m.

Out side                                  : Bali Para tract and Aka hills of Assam, Bhutan, Eastern Nepal to South East Tibet (3000-3600 m), DudhKosi

                                                 (Nepal), Bhutan - Ha Thimpu, Punarcha, Tongsa, Mongar and Sukden district.

Morphological information

A large shrub with long deep tubular flower drooping waxy flow, 1.2-2.4 m. bark thin, reddish grey. Leaves 5-7.5 by 2.5-4.5 cm acute or obtuse, beneath nearly white or cinnamoneous with scattered glandular scales, oblong or elliptic. Petioles terminal or clustered, 3-8mm Pedicels 0.6-1.3 cm, squamose or glabrous. Bracts glabrous, with ciliate margins. Flowers orange- rose, brick-red or scarlet. Calyx-lobes small, unequal or obsolete. Corolla tube long, narrow, campanulate, lobes ovate, 3.2- 0.8 cm, pendulous. Stamens 10. Filaments pilose at base. Ovary 5 -celled, glandular-scaly. Capsule 8-13 by 6mm. Seeds ovoid or trigonous. Testa close hardly produced at all, almost variable plant.

Flowering                       : April-July

Fruiting                          : April-July

History                          :

Parts                              : Leaves and stems.

Status                            : Vulnerable.

Phytochemistry           : β- sitosterol, friedelin, urosolic acid and quercitin isolated from leaves; 3,10-epoxyglutinane isolated and its structure

                                      elucidated; (α- and β- amyrins and ursolic acids also isolated.

Medicinal                      : The leaves are universally considered poisonous to cattle and goats. If employed as fuel, the smoke causes inflammation

                                         of the eyes and swelling of the face.

 


Reference

1. Anonymous (1961). The Wealth of India (Vol. 9). Publications and Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi. 16

2. Anonymous (1992). The Useful Plants of India. Publications and Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi. 1464.

3. Grier son, A.I.C. and Long, D.G. (1991) Flora of Bhutan (Vol. 2, part 1), Royal Botanic Garden. 382.

4. Kirtikar, K.R. Basu, B.D. (1993). Indian Medicinal Plants. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehraclun. 522.

5. Polunin, Oleg and Stainton, Adam (1997), Flowers of Himalayas, Delhi Oxford University press, Calcutta, Chennai, Mumbai. 229.

6. Progress Report of the Project "Studies on Medicinal Plants of Sikkim" (1998-2001). State Council of Science and Technology for Sikkim.