Malachra capitata (L.) L.Family: Malvaceae
English: malva de caballo
Bengali: বন ভিংডী Ban Bhindi
Gujarati: પરદેસી ભિંડૉ Pardesi Bhindo
Hindi: विलायती भिंडी Vilayati Bhindi
Marathi: विलायती भेंडी Vilayati Bhendi
Description: Annual or perennial, erect herbs or undershrubs, to 1.5 m high; stems, petioles and peduncles densely pubescent with prickly stellate and simple hairs. Leaves alternate, orbicular or ovate, 3-5 angled or lobed, cordate at base, crenate to serrate at margin, obtuse or rounded at apex, 3-14 x 4-20 cm, velutinous with stellate and simple hairs on both surfaces, glabrescent, 5- nerved at base; petioles 2-8 cm long; stipules 1-2 cm long, filiform, rarely forked, hispid. Inflorescences 0.5-1.5 cm long, stout bearing 3-7 heads; each head with 2-5 flowers encircled by 3 or 4 leafy bracts; bracts ovate to orbicular, cordate to rounded at base, entire or crenate-serrate at margin, acute at apex with a slightly recurved tip, 0.5-2 cm across, folded along midnerve, stellate-pubescent and also with stiff bristles at margin and on nerves beneath. Calyx cupular, accrescent; lobes oblong to deltoid, acuminate, ca 6x 1.5 mm, 3-nerved with a few stiff simple hairs at apex. Corolla ca 1.5-2.5 cm across, bright yellow; petals obovate, ca 1.5 x 1 cm, ciliate at base, densely stellate-hairy outside, glabrous inside. Staminal column ca 1 cm long, pubescent with both stellate and simple hairs and a few glandular hairs, antheriferous throughout. Ovary glabrous; styles ca 1.3 cm long, glabrous, 10-branched; stigmas capitate, hairy. Schizocarps obpyriform, 5-6 mm across; mericarps 5, 3-gonous, acute at base, rounded at apex, ca 3 x 2 mm, glabrous, reticulate with brownish nerves, whitish; seeds 3-gonous, ca 2.5 mm long, covered with minute stellate hairs, brownish black.
Used to cure Infertility Fresh fruit Fed to the patient 5 raw fruits daily during menstrual period for 3 months [Herbal Cures: Traditional Approach]
11 Published articles of Malachra Capitata
