Botanical name : Colocasia esculenta (Linn.) Schott.
Family : Araceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Alookam, Aloopam
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Madhura, Kashaya
Guna : Guru, Snigdha
Virya : Seeta
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Cocoyam, Taro
Hindi : Kachalu, Khuyya
Malayalam : Chempu
Distribution – Cultivated throughout India especially in the hotter parts.
PLANT DESCRIPTION
An erect perennial herb grows up to 1.5 meters in height. Leaves pellate-ovate, with cordate lamina, in long petiole. Spadix shorter then petiole, inflorescence covered with spathe. Underground stems are swollen; fleshy, dark brown colored and much branched.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated vata, pitta, constipation, stomatitis, alopecia, hemorrhoids and general weakness. Corms and tender leaves are used as staple food in some parts of India.
Useful part : Leaves, Corms.
Photo : Dr. Eby Abraham MD
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