Bryophyllum pinnatum Lam.

Bryophyllum pinnatum Lam.

Family: Crassulaceae
English: Sprot-leaf plant
Hindi: Zakhm-haiyat
Marathi: Panphuti

Brief description:

Bryophyllum or sprouting leaf plant is a popular succulent which is often planted in gardens, especially in rockeries depicting xerophytic desert plants. The unique feature of this plant is that from the margins of the leaves, small adventitious buds, sometimes called bulbils are produced. These buds with tiny roots may detach themselves from the leaves of the plant falls to the ground and grow into new plant.
A succulent with basal rosette. Leaves are fleshy and alternate, coarsely toothed but rounded, edges of leaves are purple. Flowers occur in corymb/raceme and are bell-like and pendulous. Flower has four fused sepils with pointed tips; four fused petals are red and pointed at tip and green at base. Eight stamens with green filaments and purpler anthers; four pistils stuck very close together are much shorter than stamen. Stem is purple with green flecks, slightly woody, grows about 1 m tall.
Medicinal use:
• The slightly roasted leaves are applied over boils, wounds and insect bites
• The plant is well known as an agent for healing wounds and sores.

Part Used: Leaves.