Kochuripana, Water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes

-
Kochuripana or Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes, family: Pontederiaceae) is an aquatic plant with short stem and is native to tropical and sub-tropical South America. It may rise above the surface of the water as much as 1 meter in height. The free-floating perennial is found in the rivers, canals and ditches in Bangladesh.


Common names: Water hyacinth, Floating water hyacinth, Lilac devil, Nile lily, Water orchid, Water violet.


Broad, thick, glossy leaves are ovate or rhomboid, glabrous, 10-20 cm across, that come out from the stem. Root is fibrous, freely hanging, purple-black in color.


Inflorescence is long and erect, bears of 8-15 conspicuously attractive flowers with six mauve or purple-colored petals (each up to 4 cm long), mostly painted with yellow and violet colors. 

In Bangladesh, it is regarded as the most troublesome aquatic weed to crops and water-transportation. Some parts of the plant, especially the green parts and flowers are eaten as vegetable in Southeast Asia. The aquatic plant is also used as animal feed.

 
The plant is very useful to make furniture, handbags, rope, paper, mat and different kinds of household products. The plant is propagated by rhizome.

Comments

  1. ArkolegendMay 23, 2024 at 7:29 AM

    This is an invasive species, not a native species. That's why it's destroying the ecosystem like sucker fish.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Martin EvanJune 26, 2024 at 11:56 PM

    Thankss for writing this

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Week Star

Parul or Fragrant padri tree, Stereospermum chelonoides

-
Image
Parul or Fragrant padri tree ( Stereospermum chelonoides , family: Bignoniaceae) is a medium or large-sized deciduous tree with branches, attaining a height of 25 m. Young shoots are pubescent. Bark is grey.  About this flower, a kind of literary madness has been found for a long period of time among the Bengalees. Although it is mentioned numerous times in Bangla literature, the tree is quite difficult to find in Bangladesh.  The great news is, 5 of its trees are found in the courtyard of Bangladesh Security Printing Press School in Gajipur. India is the original home of the plant. Leaves are compound, 60 cm long; leaflets are entire, 5-11, deep green, glabrous, petioled, elliptic-oblong, 10-15 cm long and 3-6 cm wide, apex acuminate. Flowers are sweet-scented, purplish, yellow at center, campunulate, 3-5 cm long, curved at the base and bronze in color, on terminal panicle; corolla tubular with short petals, petals 5. Flower buds are black and deep p
Read more

Kulekhara or Talmakhna, Hygrophila auriculata

-
Image
Kulekhara or Talmakhna ( Hygrophila auriculata , family: Acanthaceae) is a stout and erect herb with straight and undivided stem. The spiny plant is very popular as a medicinal plant in Bangladesh as well as the Indian subcontinent. Other names: Kulekkha, Kuiley-rekha,  Kanta kalika, Shoolmordon. Leaves are lanceolate, subsessile, acute at both ends with long whitish hairs, dense with straight and stout thorns that grow from each node. Outer leaves are longer than the inner ones. Both leaves and thorns remain in upward direction.   Flowers in axillary whorls. They are bright violet or bluish purple and red, sometimes whitish with soft and minor hair, corolla 2-lipped. Flower blooms in the winter. Fruit a capsule, 4-8-seeded. Seeds are ovoid (not in the pic). The body of the plant contains alkaloids, phytosterols, stigmasterol, lupeol and essential oils. Its seeds contain oil, enzymes and sterols. The plant is cooling and diuretic in cases of h
Read more

Konok-chapa, Mickey Mouse Plant, Ochna squarrosa

-
Image
Konok-chapa or  Mickey Mouse Plant   ( Ochna squarrosa , family: Ochnaceae) is one of the most beautiful flowering plants of Bangladesh. It occurs at Chittagong, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Cox's Bazar, Sylhet and Mymensingh. It is also found in Eastern India. Ochna squarrosa  is a woody shrub or small sized deciduous tree. When flowers appear (in the spring) the plant looks splendid. The vivid yellow-colored and fragrant flowers give a eternal impression to the passers-by.  Shinny leaves are alternate, 6-12 cm long, elliptic, sharply serrate. Ochna squarrosa  is a medicinal Plant of Bangladesh. Bark is stomachic. Leaves are used to stop menstrual disorder. Its roots are long, curved and twisted. For this reason those  are used by the Santals (a tribal community) as an antidote to snake-bite. Fruit is a d rupe,  6 mm long. Young fruit is light green in color. It turns to black when ripe. Seeds are easily germinated. Though the growth of t
Read more