Convolvulaceae FAMILY

Operculina turpethum

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

3/5

Safety & Hazards

The rhizome, especially the black form, is a drastic purgative[ 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. ].

Botanical Description

Operculina turpethum is a perennial climbing plant, producing annual stems 2 - 4 metres long from a long, fleshy, much-branched perennial rootstock[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. , 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. ]. The plant is an important Ayurvedic herb with a very long history of medicinal use in India, and is harvested in large quantities from the wild both for local use and for trade[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. , 2020 Title Trade in Indian Medicinal Plants Publication Ethnobotany of India Vol 5., 321-345, 2018 Author D.K.Ved, S.Noorunnisa Begum, & K.Ravi Kumar Publisher Apple Academic Press; Oakville, Canada Year 2018 ISBN 978-1-77188-600-0 Description ]. In India and Sri Lanka, the plant is sometimes also cultivated as an ornamental in gardens[ 304 Title Handbook of Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants Publication Author Kapoor. L. D. Publisher CRC Press, Florida. Year 2001 ISBN 0-8493-2929-9 Description A very detailed book on some of the key Ayurvedic herbs, giving both technical and non-technical information on each plant. The whole is very well referenced. , 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeEastern Africa, through tropical Asia to Australia and Micronesia.

HabitatOpen forest, teak forest, hedges, thickets, roadsides and waste places, occasionally in sugar-cane plantations, restricted to regions with a medium or strong monsoon, from sea-level up to 1,300 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. ].