793

Scoparia dulcis L.

Synonym	:	Capraria dulcis (L.) Kuntze
Family	:	Plantaginaceae
Local name	:	English -Sweet broom weed, Liquorice weed Malayalam – Kallurukki
Flowering and fruiting period	:	Throughout the year
Distribution	:	Native of Tropical America; now Pantropical
Distribution in Kerala	:	All Districts
Habitat	:	Waste places
Endemic/Exotic	:	Neotropics
Uses	:	used for the treatment of digestive problems, pulmonary conditions, fever, skin disorders, hypertension, hemorrhoids, diarrhoea, dysentery, insect bites, anemia, albuminuria, diabetes, herpes, etc.
Key Botanical Characters: Erect annual or perennial herbs. Leaves simple, decussate to whorled, obovate-oblong, apex acute, Flowers axillary, solitary or 2; pedicels slender 4. ovate-oblong, ciliate along margin. Corolla, rotate, throat densely hairy, lobes spathulate. Stamens 4. Ovary globose stigma truncate. Capsules 1-2 mm across, globose; seeds 4-angled, reticulate.