Helicteres isora - Avartani

Avartani, Helicteres isora

Avartani is a shrub or small tree that can reach a height of up to 8 metres, but is more likely to be 4 metres or less in height. Gathered from the wild and used locally as a medicine, the plant has also been experimentally cultivated as a fibre plant in India.

Uses

Diarrhea, Dysentery, Intestinal parasites

Parts Used

Bark, Root, Fruit

Common names

Language	Common name
Kannada	aavarthini, edamuri, bhootakaralu, yedamuri
Hindi	marodphali, marorphali
Malayalam	ishvaramuli, itampirivalampiri, valampiri
Tamil	edampuri, pirimurukku, valampurikai
Telugu	aadasamanthi, adivichamanthi, peddasamanthi, shyaamali
Marathi	NA
Gujarathi	NA
Punjabi	NA
Kashmiri	NA
Sanskrit	avartani, mrgasrngi,
English	Indian screw tree

Properties

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

Rasa

Kashaya (Astringent)

Guna

Laghu (Light), Rooksha (Dry)

Veerya

Sheeta (cold)

Karma

Pitta, Kapha

Habit

Shrub or small tree

Identification

Leaf

Kind	Shape	Feature
Simple	alternate	5-12 x 3-8 cm, obovate to suborbicular, apex acute or acuminate, base cordate, margin irregularly crenate- serrate; 3-5-nerved at the base, scabrous above and stellately tomentose below; petioles to 1.2 cm long.

Flower

Type	Size	Color and composition	Stamen	More information
Bisexual	axillary, solitary or in few-flowered cymes	Red	10	bracts 2-3 mm long, linear, 2 brown glands present in the axil of bracts; pedicel to 6 mm long. Calyx slightly yellow, persistent, tubular, splitting in to 5 irregular lobes; tube 1.5-2 cm long , densely stellate hairy without. Petals 5, unequal, 2-2.5 cm long, obovate, clawed, crimson, fading to pale blue. Staminal column 3-3.5 cm long, cylindric; stamens 10 ; staminodes 5. Ovary 2-2.5 mm long, placed at tip of gynophore, 5-lobed, 5-celled; ovules many; style 5; stigma subulate.

Fruit

Type	Size	Mass	Appearance	Seeds	More information
Follicles	4-6 cm long	spirally twisted, stellate-tomentose, beaked		seeds 2-3 mm long, angular, black, wrinkled.	{{{6}}}

Mode of Propagation

Seeds, Cuttings.

How to plant/cultivate

H. isora is easily propagated by seed, but vegetative propagation with stem cuttings is also possible. Seeds may be sown in a nursery and the seedlings planted out into the field later. Close planting, with e.g. distances of 60-90 cm, results in long, straight stems, whereas wider planting leads to profuse branching and thus lower fibre quality.

Commonly seen growing in areas

Tropical area

Photo Gallery

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  Leaves

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  Young leaves

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  Matured leaves

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  Flower

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  Roots

External Links

• Helicteres isora on ncbi.govt
• Helicteres isora on helicteres isro.com