MEDICINAL PLANTS OF SIKKIM

 

 

Basic Information

 

                  

   

Species                      : Arisaema speciosum  (Wall) Mart.

Local Name                : Sap ko phul (Nep),Sungtuk(Lep)

Synonym                    :

Family                         : Araceae

Habitat                       : A tall, paradioecious, tuberous perennial found wild or cultivated. Thrives well

                                                                                              in moist places.

Distribution                : Distributed to temperate region, usually at margin of broad-leaved Oak and subtropical forests (460-3050 m).

Sikkim                         : Sombariya, Tsokha, Naya Bazaar, Tholung, Hee Gyathang, Lachen, Yoksum, Prekchu, Tista Valley, Ratechu.

Out side                      : West Bengal, Manipur, West Peninsula, Punjab, Assam, Meghalaya, Kumaon, Bhutan (Chukha, West of Gedu,

                                    Chimalkhotho, Gaylegphug, Thimpu, Punakha, Toingsa, Tamji Nakao & Nishioka).

Morphological information

Rootstock oblique or shortly creeping and rooting; often 12.5 cm diameter. Leaf solitary, petiole very stout, green, smooth, often marbled with brown or purple; leaflets 40-48 cm; edged with red or purple, all petioles acuminate, lateral dimidiate, cordate, medial ovate, cuneate or rounded at the base; nerves broadly reticulate; petiole 1.3- 5 an. Peduncle much shorter than the petiole. Limb of spathe ovate  lanceolate, incurved caudate-acuminate, 5-15 cm long, banded white and purple; appendage cylindrical or fusiform at the often inflated base, and narrowed into a very long filiform tail base usually ovoid, not truncate or disciform; tube or spathe 5-10 cm, striped with purple. Spadix pink or yellowish, tail 30-45 cm dark purple; anther cells 4- 5; ovaries ovoid, stigma sessile, pulvinate. Very variable in size and colouring.

Flowering               : March-June

Fruiting                  : July

History                  :

Parts                    : Roots (tuber)

Status                  : Vulnerable.

 

Traditional

The tubers are given to sheep for colic and to cattle to remove worms.

 


Reference 

1. Anonymous (1961). The Wealth of India (Vol. 1). Publications and Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi. 420-421.

2. Anonymous. (1992). The Useful Plants of India. Publications & Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi. 52.

3. Kirtikar, K.R. B.D. Basu (1993). Indian Medicinal Plants. (Vol. 4) Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun. 2603-2604.

4. Noltie, H.J. (1994). Flora of Bhutan, Royal Botanical Garden, Edinburgh. 149-150.

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