Pseudarthria viscida - Gas Gonika
❏ Binomial Name : Pseudarthria viscida (L.)Wight & Arn.
❏ Synonym : Desmodium viscidum, Pseudarthria gyroides, Desmodium timoriense
❏ Family : Leguminosae
❏ Common Name : Gas Gonika, Salaparni
❏ Tamil Name : Nirmalli, Muvilai-p-punnai
❏ Hindi Name : Chapakno
❏ IUCN Status : Not Evaluated
Pseudarthria viscida Botanical Description
Viscid pubescent subshrubs up to 75 cm tall. Leaves 3-foliolate; terminal leaflet 5-8 x 4-6 cm, ovate-rhomboid; laterals 3-4 x 2-3.5 cm, obliquely ovate, base cuneate or obtuse, apex acute, glabrescent above and densely woolly below; petioles 4-6 cm long; stipules 5-6 mm long, subulate. Flowers in axillary or terminal, often branched racemes; bracts and bracteoles 4-5 mm long, subulate, hairy. Calyx-tube 1-1.5 mm long; lobes 2-3 mm long, subulate, hairy. Corolla purplish; standard 4-5 mm long, ovate-obtuse. Stamens 9+1; staminal sheath c. 4 mm long. Ovary 3.5-4 mm long, terete, densely pubescent without; style subulate, incurved; stigma capitate. Pods 1-2 x 0.4-0.5 cm, linear-oblong, compressed, pubescent with hooked hairs. Seeds 4-6, reniform. Fl. &Fr.: November-March.
Pseudarthria viscida Medicinal uses
❀The root is considered to be anthelmintic, antifungal, antiinflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, aphrodisiac, astringent, bitter, cardiotonic, digestive, diuretic, emollient , febrifuge, hypotensive, rejuvenating and tonic.
❀ The root juice is given as a nasal drop in case of headache and hemicranias