AWARENESS &

DEVELOPING PLANTATION
OF SOME IMPORTANT
MEDICINAL HERBS

HISTORY OF MEDICINAL
HERBS

INDIA

HAS HAD A VERY RICH AND ANCIENT HERITAGE OF TRADITIONAL

SYSTEM OF MEDICINE;
AYURVEDA
SIDDHA
UNANI

INDIA - ONE OF THE LARGEST PRODUCERS OF MEDICINAL HERBS IN THE

WORLD.
DUE TO VARYING ALTITUDES & CLIMATIC CONDITIONS FAVOURABLE FOR
THE GROWTH OF DIFFERENT PLANTS.
NOW INDIA HAS BECOME A MAJOR SUPPLIER OF STANDARDISED HERBAL
EXTRACTS & PHYTOCHEMICALS IN THE WORLD.
SOME OF THE DRUGS DERIVED FROM PLANTS OR THEIR ACTIVE
PRINCIPLES
ARE
ANTICANCER AGENTS, POTENT ANALGESICS, etc.
2

GLORY LILY

GLORIOSA SUPERBA
(GLORY LILY)

Family: Liliaceae
English Name: Climbing-lily, Creeping-lily, Flame-lily, Gloriosa
lily, Tiger claw.
Sanskrit Names: Langli, Kalikari, Ailni, Agnisikha, Garbhaghatini,
Agnimukhi.
Local Names in India: (Hindi)Kalihari, Kathari, Kulhari, Languli;
(Bengali) Bishalanguli, Ulatchandal;
(Gujarati) Dudhio, Vacchonag;
(Marathi) Indai, Karianag, Khadyanag;
(Kannada) Karadi, Kanninagadde;
(Telugu) Adavi-nabhi, Kalappagadda, Ganjeri;
(Malayalam) Mettoni, Kithonni;
(Tamil) Kalappai-Kizhangu, Kannoru;
(Oriya) Ognisikha, Garbhhoghhatono, Panjangulia, Meheriaphulo;
(Punjabi) Kariari, Mulim (CSIR,1948-1976).
Common Names in World: Flame lily, Isimiselo, Vlamlelie, Riri

Why Gloriosa superba?

Glory lilyis among some of the modern
medicinally most important plants actually facing
local extinction.
Gloriosa superba derives its name Gloriosa from
the word gloriosus, which means handsome and
superba from the word superb means splendid or
majestic kind.
This plant has been a source of medicine right
from the ancient time.
This glorious herb was found in abundance once
upon a time. Now-a-days, this herb is becoming
rare.

Habitat:
The plant grows in sandy-loam soil having pH of 6 to
7 in the mixed deciduous forests in sunny positions.
It is very tolerant of nutrient-poor soils. It occurs in
thickets, forest edges and boundaries of cultivated
areas in warm countries up to a height of 2530 m. It
is also widely grown as an ornamental plant in cool
temperate
countries
under
glass
or
in
conservatories. Since it is tall climber the plants
should be trained over stakes or wire frames to get
more fruits.
This is a perennial vine crop and remains in the field
for several years. It is well adapted to different soil
types and climatic variations from arid to humid. It
grows luxuriantly in warm weather with a rainfall of
200 cm distributed evenly throughout the year. High

Taxonomic Description:
Erect, perennial, tuberous, scandent or climbing
herbs; grasp with tendrils formed at the tip of the
leaves. Stem leafy. Leaves sessile, spirally arranged
or sub-opposite, 6-7 x 1.5-1.8 cm, lanceolate,
acuminate, entire, glabrous; the upper ones with
cirrhoses' tips. Flowers axillary, solitary, large,
borne on long, spreading pedicels, actinomorphic,
hermaphrodite;
perianth
segments
6,
free,
lanceolate, keeled within at base, long-persistent,
yellow in lower half, red in upper half; stamens 6,
spreading, hypogynous; anthers extrose, medifixed,
versatile, opening by longitudinal slits; ovary
superior, 3-celled; ovules numerous; style deflected
at base, projecting from the flower more or less
horizontally. Capsule 2-3 cm long, oblong. Seeds

Cultivation:
This plant is raised from seeds & tubers.
Treatment of seeds with thiourea (0.3 to 0.4%) gives
maximum germination.
The seed propagated plants takes 3 to 4 years to grow,
hence propagation through tubers is preferable.
The land should be ploughed and harrowed to fine tilth.
The leveled field is then divided into small plots, providing
slope for drainage.
About 15 to 20 tonnes per hectare of farm yard manure
8
are compost is mixed in the soil.

Cultivation (continued):
Tubers are brittle hence their ends must be protected
from damage. The apical pieces of tuber should be cut
and treated with 0.08 % fungicide (Emisan-6) for 3
minutes and planted at 6 cm depth in furrows, 45 to 60
cm apart.
Row to row distance should be 30 to 45 cm.
Closer spacing helps cross fertilization leading to
improved fruit set.
A dose of 40 kg N, 50 kg P & 75 kg K per hectare
should be applied at the time of planting and 80 kg N as
top dressing 8 weeks after planting.
The crop needs copious irrigation during dry weather

Cultivation (continued):
Weed control is required.
If planted in June, the plants starts flowering 55 days
after planting and the pods mature in about 110 days
after flowering.
Pods are picked manually and dried in shade for about
7 to 10 days. The seeds are also dried in shade for a
week and then sun dried for another week.
One hectare plantation yields about 150 kg seeds in
first year and 250 to 300 kg seeds from the second year
onwards.
Seeds are packed in moisture proof containers or bags
and stored in cool dried place.

10

Chemical composition & Utilization:

The plant is grown for its colourful flowers and tubers
which yield colchicine, colchicoside & other alkaloids.
In India the major plantations are found in Karnataka and
Tamilnadu. Both the states have equitable climate which
provide favourable conditions to the vines to flower early
and for longer periods to make it a viable plantation crop.
Seeds are used as raw material for the manufacture of
drugs for Gout. They contain following alkaloids: Colchicine,
Colchicoside and few others.
In the world market they are considered a rich source of
Colchicine which can fetch a good price.
Tubers are used in Ayurvedic medicine as abortifacient,
antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and anti-leprotic. Also
employed for swollen joints and in gout.

DRY FRUIT
CONTAINING
TENDER SEEDS

TENDER
SEEDS

13

TUBER

14