Botanical name: Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.
Family: Nymphaeaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Padmam, Pankajam, Kamalam.
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa    : Kashaya, Tikta, Madhura
Guna   : Lakhu, Snigda
Virya   : Seeta
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English  : Sacred lotus, Indian lotus, Chinese water lily
Hindi  : Kamal, Kanval
Malayalam : Tamara, Ventamara, Chentamara.
PLANT DESCRIPTION
A large aquatic plant with slender, elongate, branched and creeping rhizomes. From the nodes, roots and leaves arise. Leaves are peltate, 60-90 cm in diameter, petioles very long, smooth or with small prickles, much raised out of water. Flowers are solitary, large, fragrant, white or rosy with a centrally located yellow sponchy torus in which carpels are sunken; fruits are ovoid, nut like achenes.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, urinary and cardiac system disorders, hyperdipsia, diarrhea, vimiting, burning sensation on the body, nervous exhaustions, skin diseases, urinary retention and general debility.
Useful part : Whole plant.