World's Popular Plant

Achyranthes aspera Floral Description: According to Flora of Pakistan Perennial herb (sometimes woody and somewhat suffrutescent), occasionally flowering in the first year, 0.2-2 m, stiffly erect to subscandent or straggling and ±prostrate, simple to much-branched, stems stout to very weak, distinctly to obscurely 4-angled, striate or sulcate, subglabrous to densely tomentose, the nodes ±shrunken when dry. Leaves elliptic, oblong or oval and acute or acuminate to almost round and very obtuse, gradually or abruptly narrowed below, (2-) 3-12 (-16) x 1.3-6 cm, indumentum varying from uniformly subglabrous through subglabrous above and densely appressed-canescent below to ± densely tomentose on both surfaces; petioles of main stem leaves 3-25 mm, shortening above and below. Inflorescences at first dense, finally elongating to (5-) 8-34 (-40) cm; peduncles (0.6-)1-6(-7.5) cm. Bracts lanceolate or narrowly deltoid-lanceolate, pale or brownish-membranous, 1.75-5 (-6) mm, glabrous. Brac...

Achyranthes aspera causes a dose-related transient cardiovascular toxicity. Achyranthes aspera shows antiinflammatory and anti-arthritic activity. Plant pungent, purgative, diuretic, used in dropsy, piles, colic, snakebite, boils and skin eruptions Whole plant decoction in rheumatism, muscular pains and arthritis; Plant decoction to cure coughs; ash of the plant taken for asthma, applied on the body for the treatment of jaundice. Decoction of leaves applied externally for cuts, insect bites and wounds;   Leaves crushed with leaves and roots of Machilus bombycina and the juice is applied on pimples; a paste prepared with lime and leaf of nonflowering plants is applied to cure eczema; leaf infusion for the treatment of snakebite; leaves pounded, soaked in water, boiled and the liquid drunk to treat venereal   diseases and also to treat colds in children; Leaves juice given in diarrhea, as eye drops in hysteria. Root extract aphrodisiac and sex tonic, sedative, given f...