Commelina BENGHALENSIS L.


Synonym : Commelina cucullata L.
Commelina hirsuta R.Br.
Commelina nervosa Burm.f.
Commelina turbinata Vahl
Bangla Name : Kanchira, Dholpata, Jatakanchira.
English Name : Day Flower.
Family : Commelinaceae
Disease : Demulcent, refrigerant, laxative, emollient, leprosy, suppurativa, sores and snake-bite.
Description : A slender dichotomously branched creeping herb, 60-90 cm long. Leaves 2.5-7.5 cm long, ovate or oblong, obtuse. Flowers blue in funnel-shaped spathes. Capsule 6 mm long, pyriform, membranous.
Distribution : Throughout Bangladesh, in fallow lands.
Chemical Constituents : Some anthocyanins and a dammarane triterpene have been isolated from the plant. It also contains alkanols, n-octacosanol, n-triacontanol, n-dotriacontanol, sterols, stigmasterol, ?-sitosterol and campesterol (Ghani, 2003, Rastogi & Mehrotra, 1993).
Uses : The plant is demulcent, refrigerant, laxative and emollient, useful in leprosy, otitis media suppurativa and sores. Much used in the form of decoction as drink, lotion and bath. In Khagrachari the plant is used for snake-bite.
Habit : Herb