Species : Viola glaucescens Oudemans.
Local Name :
Synonym
: Voila pilosa Blume.Viola
serpens Roxb.
Family : Voilaceae
Habitat : A hirsute or glabrous herb. Thrives well in moist ground around forests and
margins of cultivation.
Distribution : Distributed throughout hilly regions of India.
Sikkim : Near Raj bhawan (Gangtok), Sombariya- 1200 m, Subaney Dara-Pangolakha, Mantyang-Bring katam, Melli-Jorethang,
Sankalang- Dikchu, Bay-leek, Damthang-Namchi, Rabongla Legshep, Kitam 1200 m-2900 m.
Outside : West Bengal Lebong, Sonada, Beggonra Kurseong, Takda Munpo, Rimbik, Sinchel. Kalimpong, Labha, Darjeeling, Takdah,
Rimbik to Sandakpu, 1200-3500 m), hills of Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Ganjam hills in Orissa, Nilgiris and Palni hills in
Tamil Nadu, at an altitude of 1,500-2000 m Chamba in Himachal Pradesh, Tehri, Garhwal area of Uttar Pradesh.
General : Eastern Afghanistan, Himalayas (Kashmir-Bhutan), Meghalaya, Naga hills, Myanmar, China.
It is a stoloniferous perennial herb with a stout, woody rhizome. Stems short but distinct, covered with withered scales, often producing runners. Leaves ovate-cordate, crenate-serrate. Flowers liliac, blue or sometimes white; larger 6-12 mm in diameter, borne on the main stem and those from the axils of the cauline leaves minute, white cleistogamous, capsules globose, only a few seeded.
Flowering : March-May
Fruiting : May-July
History
:
Parts : Flower.
Status : Low risk.
Medicinal
The marks left after the extraction is tied around the neck in the case of sore throat. Flowers used in lungs troubles, syrup of petal for infantile disorders. Root emetic.
Ayurvedic
Unani: It is an ingredient of "Hale Banafsha" and "Roghan Banafsha". for external application as massage oil, while in "Shartbat Arzani". "Majun Sanna" and "Muffareh Mo’tadil used as a cardiotonic.
Traditional
The problem like food poisoning can be treated by the oral administration of its root decoction. Like wise pneumonia can be treated by the consumption of the aerial parts of this plant with the combination of the Drymeria cordata, Centilla asiatica. The oral administration of the decoction of the entire plant meant for the fever. (Nepali-Vaidyas system).
Flower eaten in the lung troubles, a syrup of the petal for the infertile disorders, roots emetic (Biswas & Chopra 1956). Viola is considered a good bronchodiator and expectorant and in the form of decoction along with Glycorrhiza glabra and Adianturn lunulatum may be given in cough. (C.S.)
Reference
1. Anonymous (1961). The Wealth of India (Vol. 10) Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. New Delhi. 516.
2. Anonymous (1992). The Useful Plants of India Publications and information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi. 680.
3. Kirtikar, K.R. and B.D. Basu (1980) Indian Medicinal Plants (Vol. 1) Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh. 206-207.
4. Progress Report of the Project "Studies on Medicinal Plants of Sikkim" (1998-2001). State Council of Science and Technology for Sikkim.
5. Thakur, R.S.; H.S. Puri; Akhtar Husain (1989). Major Medicinal Plants. Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow. 578-579.