Potpoti, Minnieroot, Ruellia tuberosa

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Potpoti or Minnieroot, (Ruellia tuberosa, family: Acanthaceae) is a perennial herb, attaining 30-40 cm height, with branches. Leaves are green, hairy, 5-7 cm long.

Common name: Potpoti, Chotpoti (Bangla); Sheep Potato, Minnieroot, Snapdragon Root, Cracker plant (English).


Flowers are showy, violet in color, funnel-shaped, sepals 5, petals 5. In Bangladesh its flower blooms in summer.  


Flower-buds are also nice to look at.


It is called Cracker plant (in Bangla 'Potpoti') by the folk people come from the fact that children like to play with its dry pods that pop when rubbed with spit or water.


The plant is propagated by seeds.


It grows in fallow land as weed but can be cultivated in garden as decorative plant for its attractive, showy & nice colored flowers. Root extract is used for nervous breakdown & anemia. 

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Shimul or Red silk-cotton, Bombax ceiba

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Shimul or  Red silk-cotton   ( Bombax ceiba , family: Malvaceae) is one of the most common trees that found in Bangladesh. This deciduous straight tall tree with thorny trunk and spreading crown is also found in tropical regions of Asia. In Bangladesh, the tree is planted in parks and on highways and beside national monuments for its gorgeous fire-red flowers. It can reach a height up to 60 m. Common names: Shimul, Red silk-cotton, Red cotton tree. Leaves are large, spreading, glabrous, digitate, leaflets lanceolate, entire, 10-15 cm long; petiole is up to 20 cm long.  It blooms in spring (March-April).  Flowers red, numerous, appearing when the tree is bare of leaves, stamens numerous arranged in five outer bundles and one middle bundle.  Fruit capsules, woody valves. 10-13 cm in length. Seeds smooth, black or grey embedded in long white wool. Oh! the flame of the forest! Young plant is used in dysentery, cough, plethor...
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