Botanical name : Mirabilis jalapa Linn. (Red Variety)
Family : Nyctaginaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Krishnakeli, Sandhyakuli
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Tikta, Kashaya
Guna : Lakhu
Virya : Seeta
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Four O’ Clock plant, Marvel of Peru
Hindi : Lal Gulabas
Malayalam : Chuvanna Nalumanichedi
Distribution – Throughout India, cultivated as a garden plant.
PLANT DESCRIPTION
A small glabrous herb grows up to 0.5 meters in height, with succulent stems. Leaves simple, opposite, ovate acute, with long petiole. Flowers bright ret, arises in leaf axils, with peculiar property to bloom on 4 O clock and hence the name. Fruits small akenes, with a small round black seed.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, fever, syphilis, inflammation, burns and scalds, and general debility.
Useful part : Roots, Leaves.