Pankaj Oudhia
Society for Parthenium Management (SOPAM)
28-A, Geeta Nagar, Raipur - 492001 India
pankaj.oudhia@usa.net
www.pankajoudhia.com
Copyright © 2004. All Rights Reserved. Quotation from this document should cite and acknowledge the contributor.
Scientific Name: Curculigo orchioides Gaetrn.
Family: Hypoxidaceae
Hindi Name: Kali Musli, Kali Musali, Musali kand.
General Description: Kali Musli grows as Forest herb. Since generations, it is in use as folk medicine. In many parts of India, due to its over exploitation, Kali Musli is becoming rare in occurrence.
Botanical Description: Kali Musli is a herbaceous tuberous perennial with a short or elongate root stock bearing several fleshy lateral roots; Leaves sessile or petiolate 15-45x1.3-2.5 cm, linear or linear lanceolate, tips sometimes rooting, scape very short, clavate; Flowers in racemes, distichious, yellow, lowest in the racemes 2 sexual, perianth segments elliptic, oblong, hairy on the back; Fruits capsules, derived from inferior tricarpellary syncarpous ovary, 1-4 seeded; Seeds black, oblong, deeply grooved in wavy lines.
Useful Parts: All parts.
Medicinal Uses: According to Ayurveda, root is heating, aphrodisiac, alternative, appetizer, fattening and useful in treatment of piles, biliousness, fatigue, blood related disorders etc. According to Unani system of medicine, root is carminative, tonic, aphrodisiac, antipyretic and useful in bronchitis, ophthalmia, indigestion, vomiting, diarrhea, lumbago, gonorrhea, gleet, hydrophobia, joint pains etc.
Internet Resources
Kali Musli (Curculigo orchioides; family: Hypoxidaceae) as medicinal
herb in Chhattisgarh, India http://botanical.com/site/column_poudhia/242_kali.html
Aphrodisiacs of Chhattisgarh : Traditional Medicinal Knowledge about common
herbs used as Sex Tonic in Chhattisgarh, India http://botanical.com/site/column_poudhia/85_aphrodisiacs.html
Herbal dishes of Chhattisgarh, India VI. Paushtic Laddu http://botanical.com/site/column_poudhia/346_hd_paushtic_laddu.html
Traditional medicinal knowledge about common herbs and animals used as aphrodisiac
in Chhattisgarh, India : The results of recent surveys http://botanical.com/site/column_poudhia/191_aphrodisiac.html
References
Agharkar S.P., (1991). Medicinal plants of Bombay presidency. Pbl. Scientific
publishers, Jodhpur, India : 81-82.
Singh, U, Wadhwani, A.M. and Johri, B.M. (1996). Dictionary of economic plants
of India. Pbl. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India : 62.
Varier, P.S. (1995). Indian Medicinal Plants : A compendium of 500 species.
Vol - II. Pbl. Orient Longman, Hyderabad, India : 245 - 248.
Pankaj Oudhia
Society for Parthenium Management (SOPAM)
28-A, Geeta Nagar, Raipur - 492001 India
pankaj.oudhia@usa.net
www.celestine-india.com/pankajoudhia