London Rocket
Encyclopedia
London Rocket, Sisymbrium irio, is a herbal plant in the family Brassicaceae
. It is called Khubkalan,Asalio in Hindi and Khakasi in Sanskrit
.It is an annual herb exceeding three feet in height with open, slender stem branches. The flowers are small with four pale yellow petals. The basal leaves are broad and often lobed, while the upper leaves are linear in shape and up to four inches long. The fruit is a long narrow cylindrical silique
which stays green when ripe. The younger pods overtop the flowers. When dried the fruit has small red oblong seeds.
The common name
"London Rocket" comes from its abundance after the Great Fire of London
in 1666.
This species is considered a weed in some areas.
to treat coughs and chest congestion, to relieve rheumatism
, to detoxify the liver and spleen, and to reduce swelling and clean wounds. The Bedouin
use the leaf of London Rocket as a tobacco substitute.
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
. It is called Khubkalan,Asalio in Hindi and Khakasi in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
.It is an annual herb exceeding three feet in height with open, slender stem branches. The flowers are small with four pale yellow petals. The basal leaves are broad and often lobed, while the upper leaves are linear in shape and up to four inches long. The fruit is a long narrow cylindrical silique
Silique
A silique or siliqua is a fruit of 2 fused carpels with the length being more than three times the width. The outer walls of the ovary usually separate when ripe, leaving a persistent partition...
which stays green when ripe. The younger pods overtop the flowers. When dried the fruit has small red oblong seeds.
The common name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
"London Rocket" comes from its abundance after the Great Fire of London
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
in 1666.
This species is considered a weed in some areas.
Uses
London Rocket is used in the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
to treat coughs and chest congestion, to relieve rheumatism
Rheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
, to detoxify the liver and spleen, and to reduce swelling and clean wounds. The Bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
use the leaf of London Rocket as a tobacco substitute.