Scientific Name
Other Names
Life Form
Synonyms
Family
Medicine - It is a traditional Ayurvedic herb. It is a strongly bitter tonic and an excellent remedy for a weak stomach, especially when it causes nausea, indigestion, and bloating. Additionally, it has been shown to protect the liver.
Bhutan, India, Nepal
Open and moist places, shady places on the forest floor, pastures, and along the edges of agriculture fields at altitudes of 1200-3000 m asl.
Commonly used in in traditional medicine. Overharvesting due to its high trade demand has led to conservation concerns.
Herb around 60 - 150 cm tall.
Chirayita has an erect stem, the middle portion is round, while the upper is four-angled, with a prominent decurrent line at each angle. The stems are orange brown or purplish in colour.
Leaves are opposite- arranged in mutually perpendicular pairs, broadly ovate or lanceshaped, 3.5-10 x 1.5-4 cm, hairless, blunt or heart-shaped at base, tapering at tip, margins entire, usually with 3-7 prominent lateral veins.
Flowering in Chirayita is in the form of numerous small, axillary, opposite, lax cymes arranged as short branches and the whole inflorescence is 2 ft long. Flowers are small, stalked, green-yellow, tinged with purple colour. The flower-tube is twice as long as the sepal-cup and has 4 ovate-lanceshaped petals. The upper surface of the petal has a pair of nectaries covered with oblong scales and ending as fringes. There are 4 sepals, much narrower and smaller than the petals.
The plant has long pink or white colored haired and sharp pointed fruits.
Flowering: July-September