Ipomoea nil (L.) Roth


Synonym : Batatas setosa (Ker Gawl.) Lindl.
Convolvulus nil L.
Gomphipus setosus (Ker Gawl.) Raf.
Ipomoea hed
Bangla Name : Nil kalmi,Ekdhantia(Tripura).
English Name : Indian jalap
Family : Convolvulaceae
Disease : Purgative
Description : This is an annual vine, branching occasionally. The terete stems are light green to dull red, and more or less covered with white hairs. The stems twine about surrounding vegetation, or sprawl about haphazardly. The alternate leaves are medium to dark green, deeply 3-lobed, and indented at their bases. The flowering stalks develop from the axils of the leaves and are quite short (¼" or less), producing 1-3 flowers. The corollas of the flowers are funnelform; they are initially blue-violet, fading to pale purplish pink with age. The flowers bloom only during the mornings on sunny days, although they may remain open longer on cloudy days. Each flower is replaced by a 3-celled capsule containing 4-6 seeds. The rather large seeds are brown to black and wedge-shaped; their surfaces are dull.
Distribution : Chittagong,Cox’s Bazar,Jhalukhati,Noakhali,Khulna,Patuakhali.
Chemical Constituents : Seeds contain alkaloids lysergol, chanoclavine, penniclavine, isopeniclavine and elymoclavine. It also contains resin 14.2 % and glucosides. Seed oil contained palmitic, stearic, arachidic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids.
Uses : This plant is used as Purgative.
Habit : Climber