Plumbaginaceae FAMILY

Plumbago zeylanica

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

3/5

Safety & Hazards

The plant is toxic when taken internally[ 254 Title The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Publication Author Chevallier. A. Publisher Dorling Kindersley. London Year 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148 Description An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world. ].

Botanical Description

Leadwort is an evergreen perennial plant sometimes with more persistent, semi-woody stems. The stems, which are 1 - 2 metres long, have a somewhat lax habit and sometimes adopt a more climbing habit. Although toxic, the plant is commonly used medicinally - especially in India and Africa where it is a very popular treatment for skin problems[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. It is also often grown as an ornamental in gardens, where it is valued for its long, white inflorescences[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeE. Asia - India, Malaysia. Widely naturalised in many areas of the Tropics, especially Africa and southeast Asia.

HabitatAlmost exclusively found in rather open, human-created habitats such as savannah, forest edges and fallow fields, at elevations up to 1,000 metres[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ]. Disturbed, arid habitats such as sand dunes, dry forest and shrubland in Hawaii[ 417 Title Hawaiian Ethnobotany Online Database Publication Author Website http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/ethnobotanydb/index.asp Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Brief details on over 100 species of Hawaiian plants. ].