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Difference between revisions of "Quassia amara - Bitter wood"

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[[File:Quassia amara12.JPG|thumb|right|''Quassia amara'']]
 
[[File:Quassia amara12.JPG|thumb|right|''Quassia amara'']]
  
 
'''Quassia amara''' ('''amargo, bitter-ash, bitter-wood''') is a species in the genus Quassia, with some botanists treating it as the sole species in the genus. The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus who named it after the first botanist to describe it: the Surinamese freedman Graman Quassi. Q. amara is used as insecticide, in traditional medicine and as additive in the food industry.
 
'''Quassia amara''' ('''amargo, bitter-ash, bitter-wood''') is a species in the genus Quassia, with some botanists treating it as the sole species in the genus. The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus who named it after the first botanist to describe it: the Surinamese freedman Graman Quassi. Q. amara is used as insecticide, in traditional medicine and as additive in the food industry.
  
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== Description ==
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==Uses==
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{{Uses|intestinal parasites}}, {{Uses|skin parasites}}, {{Uses|intestinal parasites}}, {{Uses|amebic infections}}, {{Uses|malaria}}, {{Uses|digestive problems}}, {{Uses|eliminate toxins}}, {{Uses|liver}}.
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It is a shrub or rarely a small tree, growing to 3 m tall (rarely 8 m). The leaves are compound and alternate, 15–25 cm long, and pinnate with 3-5 leaflets, the leaf rachis being winged. The flowers are produced in a panicle 15–25 cm long, each flower 2.5-3.5 cm long, bright red on the outside, and white inside. The fruit is a small drupe 1-1.5 cm long.
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Q. amara is native to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Brasil, Peru, Venezuela, Suriname, Colombia, Argentina, French Guiana and Guyana. Q. amara is widely planted outside its native range.
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==Parts Used==
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{{Parts Used|wood}}, {{Parts Used|Leaves}}.
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==Chemical Composition==
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The main chemicals identified in amargo include: beta-carbolines, beta-sitostenone, beta-sitosterol, dehydroquassins, gallic acid, gentisic acid, hydroxyquassins, isoparain<ref name="chemical composition"/>
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==Common names==
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{{Common names|kn=|ml=Akkarakaaram|sa=Akarkarabh|ta=|te=|hi=Akarkara|en=Pellitory}}
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==Habit==
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{{Habit|Procumbent herb}}
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==Identification==
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===Leaf===
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{{Leaf|Smooth|Alternate, Pinnate|The leaves are with deeply-cut segments}}.<ref name="Leaf"/>
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===Flower===
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{{Flower|Unisexual|14-18cm long|Yellow, Circular||Each bears one large flower the disk being yellow and the rays white, tinged with purple beneath.}}
  
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== Uses ==
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===Fruit===
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{{Fruit|||Syncarp (sorosis), subglobose or ellipsoid with long echinate processes, orange when ripe|seeds many, ovoid.|}}
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*Traditionally, Q. amara is used as a digestive, to treat fever, and against hair parasites (lice, fleas) and Mosquito larvae in ponds (and do not harm the fishes).<ref name="uses"/>
 
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*The component Simalikalactone D was identified as an antimalarial. The preparation of a tea out of young leaves is used traditionally in French Guyana.
 
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*Extracts of Q. amara wood or bark are also used to flavor soft drinks, aperitifs and bitters which can be added to cocktails or to baked goods.<ref name="uses"/>
 
  
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==Common name==
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===Other features===
  
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* '''English''' -  Bitter-wood
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==List of Ayurvedic medicine in which the herb is used==
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* [[Vishatinduka Taila]] as ''root juice extract''
  
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== References ==
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==Where to get the saplings==
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==Mode of Propagation==
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<references>
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{{Propagation|Seeds}}, {{Propagation|Cuttings}}.
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<ref name="uses">[https://web.archive.org/web/20121220110825/http://rainforest-database.com/plants/amargo.htm "Amargo"]</ref>
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==How to plant/cultivate==
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Pyrethrum var depressus (sometimes considered a separate species, Anacyclus depressus), called mat daisy or Mount Atlas daisy, is grown as a spring-blooming, low-water ornamental. It produces mats of grey-green, ferny foliage and single daisy-like white flowers. It is suitable for growing in an alpine or rock garden. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit<ref name="How to plant/cultivate"/>
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==Commonly seen growing in areas==
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{{Commonly seen|Mediterranian}}, {{Commonly seen|Himalayas}}, {{Commonly seen|Arabian countries}}.
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==Photo Gallery==
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<gallery class="left" caption="" widths="140px" heights="140px">
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File:Anacyclus pyrethrum depressus habitus1.jpg|Var. ''depressus''
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File:Anacyclus pyrethrum depressus open.jpg|same plant, flower detail
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File:Anacyclus pyrethrum depressus closed.jpg|Var. ''depressus'', flowers closed
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</gallery>
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==References==
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<references>  
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<ref name="chemical composition">[https://web.archive.org/web/20121220110825/http://rainforest-database.com/plants/amargo.htm "Wayback machine"]</ref>
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<ref name="Leaf">[https://www.bimbima.com/ayurveda/medicinal-use-of-akarkara-spilanthes-acmella/1383/ "Bimbima"]</ref>
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<ref name="How to plant/cultivate">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anacyclus_pyrethrum "Anacyclus pyrithum"]</ref>
 
</references>
 
</references>
  
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== External Links ==
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==External Links==
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*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quassia_amara Quassia amara - Wikipedia]
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*[http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Bitter%20Quassia.html "flowersofindia"]
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[[Category:Herbs]]
 
[[Category:Herbs]]

Revision as of 09:29, 14 April 2018

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Quassia amara

Quassia amara (amargo, bitter-ash, bitter-wood) is a species in the genus Quassia, with some botanists treating it as the sole species in the genus. The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus who named it after the first botanist to describe it: the Surinamese freedman Graman Quassi. Q. amara is used as insecticide, in traditional medicine and as additive in the food industry.

Uses

intestinal parasites, skin parasites, intestinal parasites, amebic infections, malaria, digestive problems, eliminate toxins, liver.

Parts Used

wood, Leaves.

Chemical Composition

The main chemicals identified in amargo include: beta-carbolines, beta-sitostenone, beta-sitosterol, dehydroquassins, gallic acid, gentisic acid, hydroxyquassins, isoparain[1]

Common names

Language Common name
Kannada
Hindi Akarkara
Malayalam Akkarakaaram
Tamil
Telugu
Marathi NA
Gujarathi NA
Punjabi NA
Kashmiri NA
Sanskrit Akarkarabh
English Pellitory


Habit

Procumbent herb

Identification

Leaf

Kind Shape Feature
Smooth Alternate, Pinnate The leaves are with deeply-cut segments

.[2]

Flower

Type Size Color and composition Stamen More information
Unisexual 14-18cm long Yellow, Circular Each bears one large flower the disk being yellow and the rays white, tinged with purple beneath.

Fruit

Type Size Mass Appearance Seeds More information
Syncarp (sorosis), subglobose or ellipsoid with long echinate processes, orange when ripe seeds many, ovoid. {{{6}}}

Other features

List of Ayurvedic medicine in which the herb is used

Where to get the saplings

Mode of Propagation

Seeds, Cuttings.

How to plant/cultivate

Pyrethrum var depressus (sometimes considered a separate species, Anacyclus depressus), called mat daisy or Mount Atlas daisy, is grown as a spring-blooming, low-water ornamental. It produces mats of grey-green, ferny foliage and single daisy-like white flowers. It is suitable for growing in an alpine or rock garden. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit[3]

Commonly seen growing in areas

Mediterranian, Himalayas, Arabian countries.

Photo Gallery

  • Var. depressus

  • same plant, flower detail

  • Var. depressus, flowers closed

References

  1. ↑ "Wayback machine"
  2. ↑ "Bimbima"
  3. ↑ "Anacyclus pyrithum"

External Links

Retrieved from "https://ayurwiki.org/index.php?title=Quassia_amara_-_Bitter_wood&oldid=12297"