Meconopsis aculeata

Meconopsis aculeata

Meconopsis aculeata is a blue-flowered thorny species of the genus Meconopsis with a small geographical distribution restricted to specific areas of Pakistan and India, in the west Himalayas. The species was described from specimens collected here, by Royle in 1833.

Uses

Heal broken bones, Pain in the upper bodily region.

Parts Used

Flowers,Leaves.

Chemical Composition

Primary constituents have chlorophyll, proteins sugar and amino acids. Secondary constituents contain terpenoids and alkaloids. Medicinal plants have antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammation activities. The present study involves medicinal plant Meconopsis aculeta which is locally available in Kashmir Himalaya.

Common names

Language	Common name
Kannada
Hindi	Kanta कान्ता, Vanita वनीता. Ladak
Malayalam
Tamil
Telugu
Marathi	NA
Gujarathi	NA
Punjabi	NA
Kashmiri	NA
Sanskrit
English	Blue poppy,Himalayan blue poppy. Hin. Vanita, Kaliharu,. Bhotia-sarchhing, Kanta

Properties

Reference: Dravya - Substance, Rasa - Taste, Guna - Qualities, Veerya - Potency, Vipaka - Post-digesion effect, Karma - Pharmacological activity, Prabhava - Therepeutics.

Habit

Herb

Identification

Leaf

Kind	Shape	Feature
Simple	Alternate	The leaves are light green and feathery.

Flower

Type	Size	Color and composition	Stamen	More information
Bisexual		White	3-4	Flowers Season is June - August

List of Ayurvedic medicine in which the herb is used

• Vishatinduka Taila as root juice extract

Mode of Propagation

seeds.

How to plant/cultivate

Monocarpic erect, prickly herbs, with yellow fluid, about 40-60 cm tall. Stem simple or branched at the base, leafy throughout, covered with yellow or golden yellow color bristles, about 2-7 mm long. Tap roots narrow elongated or fusiform, about 10-14 cm long. Basal cauline leaves, variable, irregularly 1-2 pinnatipartite rarely bipinnatipartite, about 5-25 x 2-5 cm across, margin ciliate, apex obtuse, broadly incised on the lower basal segments, bristle hairs on both sides, above and beneath, petiole widened at the base, bristly, about 4-12 cm long, upper cauline leaves smaller, segments oblong, obovate to triangular, margin ciliate, apex obtuse, petiole sessile. Inflorescence raceme with about 10-20 flowers, bracteate. Flowers bisexual, axillary or terminal, about 6-8 cm across, pale blue to purple, red, pink, actinomorphic, showing bilateral symmetry, pedicels slender, spiny, about 1-15 cm long, Sepals 2, ovate-orbicular, spiny, about 1-2 cm long, caducous, petals 4, rarely 6, obovate, apex rounded or obtuse, blue, purple, red, margin entire, about 3-4 x 3-4 c-m across. Stamens numerous, filaments filiform, linear, with showy colors as petals, about 0.5-1 cm long, anthers golden yellow, basifixed, about 1-1.5 mm long. Ovary obovoid-ellipsoid or subglobose, unilocular, densely spiny, style slender, distinct or conspicuous, stigmas capitates, free or confluent on decurrent lobes, swollen at the base, about 4-10 mm long. Fruits capsules, ellipsoid-obovoid, about 10-15 mm long, dehiscing by 4-6 interplacental valves in upper apex part, rarely at the base. Seeds many, subreniform, oblong-ellipsoid, usually papillose, about 1 mm long.

Commonly seen growing in areas

Tall grasslands, Meadows, Borders of forests and fields.

Photo Gallery

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External Links

• Meconopsis aculeata