Commelina benghalensis L.Family: Commelinaceae
- Common name: Bengal Dayflower, Whiskered Commelina, tropical spiderwort
- Arabic: بياض
- Bengali: ঢোলপাতা
- Chinese: 卵叶鸭趾草
- Finnish: Intiansoljo
- Hindi: काना Kana, कनकव्वा Kankawa, बुचना Buchna
- Japanese: maruba-tsuyu-kusa
- Kannada: hittagani
- Malayalam: kanankolai, kancatam, Vazhaplaachi, കാനവാഴ
- Manipuri: ৱাঙদেন খোইবী Wangden khoibi
- Marathi: केना Kena
- Nepali: काने Kane, काने घाँस Kane ghas
- Sanskrit: kanchata, kosapuspi, marishajalaja
- Sundanese: gèwor
- Tamil: கானாங்கோழை kanangkozai, adutinnathalai, kanan valai
- Telugu: neerukaassuvu, nirukassuvu, అడవినాభి adavinabhi
Description: Erect to prostrate perennial herb, 20-60 cm long, often dichotomously branched from the base, glabrous to pubescent, rooting below, often developing subterranean or concealed, whitish flowers on underground scapes developed from the lower nodes. Leaves ovate to ovate-oblong, subsessile to shortly petioled, with sheathing base, 2.5-7.5 cm long, 1.5-3.5 cm broad, entire, acute to sub-rounded at apex; petiole 4-10 mm long; sheaths 1-2 cm long, ciliate on the margins. Upper cymes 2-3-flowered, lower 1-2-flowered, sometimes suppressed. Aerial flowers blue, in short cymes subtended by spathes, maturing earlier than the subterranean flowers. Seeds rugose or closely pitted, sometimes wanting in aerial flowers.
Used in Ayurveda and Sidha. Plant febrifugal, bitter, demulcent, laxative, emollient, astringent, antiinflammatory, cooling, diuretic, used to cure skin inflammations, leprosy, burnt wounds; whole plant paste applied against pain, piles and chest pain. Roots in fever and liver complaints. Sap used for treatment of eye ailments, sore throat and burns and topical application for thrush in infants. Leaves antimicrobial, for pneumonia; leaves decoction to stop profuse menstrual bleeding; fresh leaves extract applied in fungus infections, in Tinea pedis; pounded and soaked in warm water and the solution drunk to treat diarrhea. Knee-joint problems after prolonged use. Veterinary medicine, leaves extract applied for cataract; for yoke bite leaves made into a paste and applied; anthelmintic, whole plant as a fodder. [CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants]
Emollient, demulcent, laxative, diuretic, antileprotic. [Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary]
Antibacterial, antipyretic, diuretic, antiedematic, antitoxic; for epidemic influenza, upper respiratory tract infection. [Taiwanese Native Medicinal Plants]
Emollient, demulcent, laxative, diuretic, antileprotic. [Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary]
Antibacterial, antipyretic, diuretic, antiedematic, antitoxic; for epidemic influenza, upper respiratory tract infection. [Taiwanese Native Medicinal Plants]
189 Published articles of Commelina benghalensis
