Kali musli

Kali musli

Botanical name: Curculigo orchioides
Family: Liliaceae (Lily family) (Hypoxidaceae)

Common name: Orchid palm grass • Hindi: Kali musli • Oriya: Tala-muli • Kannada: Nela tengu • M General Description: Kali Musli grows as Forest herb. Since generations, it is in use as folk medicine. In many parts of India, due to its over exploitation, Kali Musli is becoming rare in occurrence.

Botanical Description: Kali Musli is a herbaceous tuberous perennial with a short or elongate root stock bearing several fleshy lateral roots; Leaves sessile or petiolate 15-45x1.3-2.5 cm, linear or linear lanceolate, tips sometimes rooting, scape very short, clavate; Flowers in racemes, distichious, yellow, lowest in the racemes 2 sexual, perianth segments elliptic, oblong, hairy on the back; Fruits capsules, derived from inferior tricarpellary syncarpous ovary, 1-4 seeded; Seeds black, oblong, deeply grooved in wavy lines.
Useful Parts: All parts.

Habitat
It is found in places that are up to 6000 feet above sea level. It is more commonly seen in temperate zonal climate. It is seen in countries like Africa, Middle East, Arabia, Pakistan and southern Asian Island. In India it is found every where but predominantly found in Deccan plateau area of Chota Nagpur. It is also commonly seen in south India.

Morphology

It is a perennial shrub having short or elongated fleshy roots. Leaves are 6 to 18 inch in length and ½ to 1 ½ inch broad. It is speared shaped and bears stripes on it. The apex of the leaves is rooting. Flowers present the racemes presentation that is 1 inch in length. Flowers are ½ to 2/3 inch in diameter, shiny and are just above the ground. . Fruit is ½ inch in length, capsulated, ovate in shape, sharp at the apex and contains 1 to 4 seeds in it. Seeds are shiny, oblong in shape, 1/8 inch long, striped and sharp at the apex and base. Rhizome is 1 feet in length and is pulpy. The plant flowers in summers

Chemical Constituents

It contains starch 43.48 %, tannins 4.15 %, enzymes 14.18 % and ash 8.6 %. Besides these it also contains glycoside, orcinol-1-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, curculigoside, syringic acid, curculigoside and curculigoside C



Medicinal uses:
The rhizomes of the plants are used for the treatment of decline in strength, jaundice and asthma. According to Ayurveda, root is heating, aphrodisiac, alternative, appetizer, fattening and useful in treatment of piles, biliousness, fatigue, blood related disorders etc. According to Unani system of medicine, root is carminative, tonic, aphrodisiac, antipyretic and useful in bronchitis, ophthalmia, indigestion, vomiting, diarrhea, lumbago, gonorrhea, gleet, hydrophobia, joint pains etc
Indication

1. Itching , Skin disorders , Jaundice , Piles , Decreased sperms count , Frigidity , Dysurea
2. Gonorrhea , General body weakness



Uses

1. Paste – it is used in applying on the skin disorders and where ever there is itching on the skin. . It is used in applying on the pile mass to give instant relief from the pain and burning sensation.
1. Medical smoke – there is a good result of inhaling the smoke of kali musli in respiratory disease like cough, cold and asthma.
1. Powder – its powder is recommended in various ailments like decreased sperm count, impotence general body weakness, loss of stamina and vigor. Besides this it is also used in digestive disorders like indigestion, constipation and loss of appetite. It is very much effective in liver ailments especially in jaundice.