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Swertia chirata Buch.-ham. ex Wall.

Species

Angiosperms > Gentianales > Gentianaceae > Swertia

Characteristics

An annual herb. The stems are robust and branching. They become angular towards the top of the stems. The stems contain a large pith. The leaves are broadly sword shaped and have short stalks. The flowers are in large panicles. They are greenish yellow with a purple tinge. The fruit are egg shaped capsules. They have many sides and sharp points. The seeds are smooth and many angled.
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Growth form herb
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Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
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Environment

It is a subtropical plant. In Sikkim it grows between 1,500-2,500 m above sea level.
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Usage

Extracts of the plant are used to flavour drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Caution: Alcohol is a cause of cancer.
Uses medicinal
Edible leaves
Therapeutic use Anthelmintics (leaf), Antipyretics (leaf), Asthma (leaf), Bronchitis (leaf), Galactogogues (leaf), Hemorrhoids (leaf), Inflammation (leaf), Laxatives (leaf), Leukorrhea (leaf), Pregnancy complications (leaf), Ulcer (leaf), Vomiting (leaf), Asthma (unspecified), Atrophy (unspecified), Bronchitis (unspecified), Cachexia (unspecified), Cough (unspecified), Depurative (unspecified), Fever (unspecified), Gravel (unspecified), Laxative (unspecified), Liqueur (unspecified), Phthisis (unspecified), Puerperium (unspecified), Stomachic (unspecified), Tonic (unspecified), Alterative (unspecified), Gonorrhea (unspecified), Hypnotic (unspecified), Vermifuge (unspecified), Tuberculosis (unspecified), Anthelmintics (unspecified), Anti-inflammatory agents (unspecified), Antipyretics (unspecified), Appetite stimulants (unspecified), Diabetes mellitus (unspecified), Flatulence (unspecified), Hemorrhoids (unspecified), Laxatives (unspecified), Pregnancy (unspecified), General tonic for rejuvenation (unspecified), Skin diseases (unspecified), Ulcer (unspecified), Antiperiodic (unspecified), Anorexia (whole plant), Anthelmintics (whole plant), Antineoplastic agents (whole plant), Antipyretics (whole plant), Appetite stimulants (whole plant), Asthma (whole plant), Biliary tract diseases (whole plant), Bronchial diseases (whole plant), Constipation (whole plant), Cough (whole plant), Fever (whole plant), Gastric acid (whole plant), Hypnotics and sedatives (whole plant), Laxatives (whole plant), Malaria (whole plant), Nausea (whole plant), General tonic for rejuvenation (whole plant), Skin diseases (whole plant), Vomiting (whole plant)
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Cultivation

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Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:370832-1
WFO ID wfo-0000498213
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Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Swertia chirata Agathotes chirayita Ericoila chirayta Eyrythalia floribunda
WorldFloraDB 2024