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Canna indica L.
Synonym
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Canna indica var.
coccinea
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Family
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Cannaceae
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Local name
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English
- Canna,
Indian-shot, Poloke
Malayalam
– Chakkarachembu
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Flowering and fruiting period
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January-July
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Distribution
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Indo-Malesia
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Distribution in Kerala
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All
Districts
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Habitat
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Grown as
garden plants, also getting naturalised
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Endemic/Exotic
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Exotic
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Uses
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The
root is diaphoretic and diuretic. It is used in the treatment of fever. A
decoction of the root, combined with fermented rice is used in the treatment
of gonorrhoea and amenorrhoea.
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Key
Botanical Characters:
A medium sized rhizomatous herb. Leaves simple,
alternate, ovate-elliptic or oblong, base tapering, apex acuminate, entire.
Raceme up to 20 cm long. Flowers large, brightly coloured, yellow or red. Perianth consists of 6 tepals,
arranged in two whorls of 3 each, outer whorl sepaloid, green, free or
connate at the base; imbricate aestivation. Inner whorl is petaloid, large,
connate at the base, brightly coloured with imbricate aestivation. Androecium
is greatly modified, 6 stamens arranged in two whorls of 3 each. All of them
are reduced to staminodes except the posterior one of the inner whorl. Ovary
3-celled; ovules many on axile placentae; style flattened, as long as the
staminode. Capsule warty. Seeds many, globose.
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