Plant of the Week – Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz

Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz (also known as Indian Snakeroot or Sarpagandha in Sanskrit or Amalpori in Malayalam) is a medicinal plant belonging to Apocynaceae family and is found throughout India . The plants are unbranched woody herbs characterized by cluster of
leaves towards the tip, Flowers appear densely in terminal cymes with reddish peduncles.Corolla tube purplish pink with white lobes. Fruit ovoid drupe. It turns from green to red and finally black when ripe. This rather rare plant is used in Indian systems of medicine for centuries to treat a wide variety of diseases including snake and insect bites, malaria, abdominal pain, and dysentery. It was also used in high BP treatment of fever and urinary infections. Green Ahalia, knowing the rarity and medicinal value of this plant, is trying to conserve and protect this plant.

For more details: greenahalia@ahhkv.org