Wednesday, September 14, 2011

agasthyarkoodam

Agasthyarkoodam Peak - Location : 70 km from Thiruvananthapuram.

Agasthyarkoodam Peak - Attractions : Rare herbs and medicial plants. The Agasthya forest believed to have been the abode of sage Agasthya, a character from mythology. Trekking trails. Thick forests.

Agasthyarkoodam is located 70 km from Thiruvananthapuram. Bonacaud is the nearest village. The hill station features rare herbs and medicinal plants, thick forest and trekking trails.

Agasthyarkoodam, the magnificent peak in the Western Ghatsin an altitude of 1890 m in the form of a sharp cone. A haven of rare herbs and medicinal plants, its slopes are a breathtaking sight when they transform into colourful glades of the 'Neelakurinji', a flower which blooms only once in twelve years.a valuable and rare herb by name arogyapacha (plant or eternal health) is attracting the attenion moern reasearchers to this hill.

As the diety Agasthya The greathermit was supposed to be an ardent brahachari(bachelor) Women are not allowed up to the peak.The best timeto visit is Decimber to April. For trekking a forest pass has to be obtained from the Wildlife Warden, Forest Dept., P.T.P.Nagar, Thiruvananthapuram.

Agasthyarkoodam Peak - Getting there:

Agasthyarkoodam Peak - Nearest railway station: Trivandrum.(61KMs).

Agasthyarkoodam Peak - Nearest airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport,( about 69 km ).

maravuri plant

Tribal populations of Kerala are rich in ethnobotanical information. Muthuvan tribes of Idukki district are experts in preparing Maravuri, a type of cloth from the bark tree Aranjali [Antiaris toxicaria (Pers.) Lesch.].This skilled work was carried out after constructing tall supports around the tree, require much experience. The cork is carefully removed with a sharp knife; bark is softened by beating with wooden hammers, and separated and cured by sun drying. It is used as bed spread. As modernization is fast progressing, the new generation is unaware of the technical know how to prepare the bark for cloth. So, it is highly important to record and preserve such valuable information.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Ayurvedic plants and its botanical names

Alarka : Calotropis gigantea (Linn.) Ait. f
Apamarga : Achyranthes aspera Linn
Aparajita : Clitoria ternatea Linn
Asana : Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb
Asthisamhara : Cissus quadrangularis Linn
Atibala : Abutilon indicum (Linn.) Sweet
Babbula : Acacia nilotica Delile ssp. indica (Benth.) Brenan
Bakula : Mimusops elengi Linn
Bharangi : Clerodendrum serratum (Linn.) Moon
Bilva : Aegle marmelos (Linn.) Correa ex Roxb
Brahmi : Bacopa monnieri (Linn.) Pennell
Chitraka : Plumbago zeylanica Linn
Danti : Baliospermun montanum (Willd) Muell.-Arg
Daruharidra : Berberis aristata DC
Dhava : Anogeissus latifolia (Roxb. ex DC.) Wall. ex Guill & Perr
Gunja : Abrus precatorius Linn
Haridra : Curcuma longa Linn
Kapikachchhu : Mucuna pruriens (Linn.) DC
Khadira : Acacia catechu Willd
Kumari : Aloe barbadensis Mill
Latakaranja : Caesalpinia bonduc (Linn.) Taub
Madayantika : Lawsonia inermis Linn
Mandookaparni : Centella asiatica (Linn.) Urban
Nagakeshara : Mesua ferrea Linn
Nimba : Azadirachta indica A. Juss
Palasha : Butea monosperma (Lamk.) Taub
Pashanbheda : Bergenia ciliata (Haw.) Stemb
Priyala : Buchanania lanzan Spreng
Raktapunarnava : Boerhavia diffusa Linn
Sahachara : Barleria prionitis Linn
Saptaparna : Alstonia scholaris R. Br
Sariva : Hemidesmus indicus R. Br
Shallaki : Boswellia serrata Roxb. ex Coleb
Shatavari : Asparagus racemosus Willd
Shigru : Moringa oleifera Lamk
Shirisha : Albizia lebbeck (Linn.) Willd
Sthoolaila : Amomum subulatum Roxb
Trivrita : Operculina turpethum (Linn.) Silva Manso
Vacha : Acorus calamus Linn
Vasa : Adhatoda zeylanica Medic
Agnimantha : Clerodendrum multiflorum (Burm. f.) O. Ktze
Amra : Mangifera indica Linn
Aragvadha : Cassia fistula Linn
Araluka : Ailanthus excelsa Roxb
Arimeda : Acacia leucophloea Willd
Arka : Calotropis procera (Ait.) sub sp. hamiltonii (Wight) Ali
Bakuchi : Psoralea corylifolia Linn
Bhringaraja : Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk
Bimbi : Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt
Chakramarda : Cassia tora Linn
Champaka : Michelia champaca Linn
Chirabilva : Holoptelea integrifolia (Roxb.) Planch
Dadima : Punica granatum Linn
Dhanvayasa : Fagonia cretica Linn
Dhattura : Datura metel Linn
Guggulu : Commiphora wightii (Arnott) Bhandari
Ishwari : Aristolochia indica Linn
Jalapippali : Phyla nodiflora (L.) Green
Jeevanti : Leptadenia reticulata (Retz.) Wt. & Arn
Jyotishmati : Celastrus paniculatus Willd
Karanja : Pongamia pinnata (Linn.) Pierre
Karavira : Nerium indicum Mill
Karpasa : Gossypium herbaceum Linn
Krishnasariva : Cryptolepis buchananii Roem. & Schult
Kutaja : Holarrhena antidysenterica (Roxb. ex Flem.) Wall
Lajjalu : Mimosa pudica Linn
Madana : Catunaregam spinosa (Thunb.) Tiruv
Mahanimba : Melia azedarach Linn
Narikela : Cocos nucifera Linn
Paribhadra : Erythrina variegata Linn
Patha : Cissampelos pareira L. var. hirsuta (DC.) Forman
Rohisha : Cymbopogon martinii (Roxb.) Wats
Shalaparni : Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC
Shinshapa : Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC
Shyonaka : Oroxylum indicum (L.) Vent
Tulasi : Ocimum sanctum Linn
Varahikanda : Dioscorea bulbifera Linn
Varuna : Crateva nurvala Buch.- Ham
Vriddhadaruka : Argyreia nervosa (Burm. f) Bojer
Vrikshamla : Garcinia indica Choisy
Agastya : Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir
Amalaki : Phyllanthus emblica Linn
Arjuna : Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wt. & Arn
Ashoka : Saraca asoca (Roxb.) de Wilde
Ashwagandha : Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal
Ashwatha : Ficus religiosa Linn
Bhutika : Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf
Bibhitaka : Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb
Chandana : Santalum album Linn
Dhataki : Woodfordia fruticosa (L.) Kurz
Gambhari : Gmelina arborea Roxb
Gokshura : Tribulus terrestris Linn
Guduchi : Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers. ex Hk. f. & Th
Haritaki : Terminalia chebula Retz
Jambu : Syzygium cumuni (L.) Skeels
Jati : Jasminum officinale L. var. grandiflorum (L.) Bailey
Kakamachi : Solanum nigrum Linn
Karamarda : Carissa carandas Linn
Ketaki : Pandanus fascicularis Lamk
Kozuppu : Portulaca oleracea Linn
Madhavi : Hiptage benghalensis (L.) Kurz
Musta : Cyperus rotundus Linn
Nagavalli : Piper betle Linn
Nirgundi : Vitex negundo Linn
Pippali : Piper longum Linn
Prasarini : Paederia foetida Linn
Tamalaki : Phyllanthus amarus Schum. & Thonn
Udumbara : Ficus racemosa Linn
Vata : Ficus benghalensis Linn
Yashtimadhu : Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn. Indices
Akshota: Juglans regia Linn
Atasi : Linum usitatissimum Linn
Bhunimba : Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) wall. ex nees
Chanaka : Cicer arietinum Linn
Changeri : Oxalis corniculata Linn
Dhanyaka : Coriandrum sativum Linn
Eranda : Ricinus communis Linn
Gajapippali : Scindapsus officinalis (Roxb.) Schott
Ikshu: Saccharum officinarum Linn
Japa : Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn
Jatiphala : Myristica fragrans Houtt
Kadamba : Anthocephalus chinensis (Lamk.) A. Rich ex walp
Kamala : Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn
Kantakari : Solanum virginianum Linn
Karavelli : Momordica charantia Linn
Kokilaksha : Hygrophila auriculata (Schum.) Heine
Koshataki : Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. var. amara (Roxb.) Clarke
Langali : Gloriosa superba Linn
Lavanga : Syzygium aromaticum (Linn.) Merrill & Perry
Madhuka : Madhuca longifolia (Koen.) Macbr. var. latifolia (Roxb.) Chevalier
Matsyakshi: alternanthera sessilis (Linn.) R. Br. ex DC
Methi : Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn
Mulaka : Raphanus sativus Linn
Nichula : Barringtonia acutangula (Linn.) Gaertn
Parijata : Nyctanthes arobr-tristis Linn
Puga : Areca catechu Linn
Shati : Hedychium spicatum Buch. Ham. ex Smith
Snuhi : Euphorbia neriifolia Linn
Talamuli : Curculigo orchioides Gaertn
Tvaka : Cinnamomum verum Presl
Ajagandha: Cleome gynandra Linn
Bhallataka: Semecarpus anacardium Linn. f
Chincha: Tamarindus indica Linn
Draksha: Vitis vinifera Linn
Dugdhika: Euphorbia thymifolia Linn
Kadali: Musa paradisiaca Linn
Kakodumbara: Ficus hispida Linn. f
Kampillaka: Mallotus philippensis (Lamk.) Muell.-Arg
Kapittha: Limonia acidissima Linn
Kulattha: Vigna unguiculata (Linn.) Walp
Kupilu: Strychnos nux-vomica Linn
Lodhra: Symplocos racemosa Roxb
Manjishtha: Rubia cordifolia Linn
Maricha: Piper nigrum Linn
Masura: Lens culinaris Medic
Munditika: Sphaeranthus indicus Linn
Parushaka: Grewia subinaequalis DC
Patola: Trichosanthes dioica Roxb
Pattanga: Caesalpinia sappan Linn
Sahadevi: Vernonia cinerea (L.) Less
Shaka: Tectona grandis Linn. f
Shalmali: Bombax ceiba Linn
Shunthi: Zingiber officinale Rosc
Sukshmaila: Elettaria cardamomum (Linn.) Maton
Tila: Sesamum orientale Linn
Tumbini: Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl
Ushira: Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash
Vidanga: Embelia ribes Burm. f
Vijaya: Cannabis sativa Linn
Yava: Hordeum vulgare Linn.
Ambashthaki : Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn
Amrata : Spondias pinnata (Linn.f.) Kurz
Arishtaka : Sapindus laurifolius Vahl
Avartani : Helicteres isora Linn
Durva : Cynodon dactylon (Linn.) Pers
Granthiparni : Leonotis nepetiifolia (L.) R. Br
Ingudi : Balanites aegyptiaca (Linn.) Delile
Kakajangha : Peristrophe paniculata (Forssk.) Brummitt
Kasheru : Schoenoplectus grossus (L.f.) Palla
Krishnajeeraka : Carum carvi Linn
Kumbhi : Careya arborea Roxb
Kumkuma : Crocus sativus Linn
Kusumbha : Carthamus tinctorius Linn
Lashuna : Allium Sativum Linn
Mudgaparni : Vigna trilobata (Linn.) Verdc
Nili : Indigofera tinctoria Linn
Palandu : Allium cepa Linn
Patala : Stereospermum Chelonoides (L.f.) DC
Peruka : Psidium Guajava Linn
Prishniparni : Uraria picta (Jacq.) Desv. ex DC
Rohitaka : Tecomella undulata (sm.) seem
Saptala : Euphorbia dracunculoides Lamk
Sarala: Pinus roxburghii Sarg
Shana : crotalaria juncea Linn
Sharapunkha : Tephrosia purpurea (Linn.) Pers
Swarnapatri : Cassia senna Linn
Tamalapatra : Cinnamomum tamala (Buch.-Ham.) nees and eberm
Tinduka : Diospyros peregrina (gaertn.) guerke
Upakunchika : Nigella sativa Linn
Vidari : Pueraria tuberosa (Roxb. ex willd.) DC