Ruellia tuberosa
Encyclopedia
Ruellia tuberosa, also known as Minnie Root, Fever Root, Snapdragon Root and Sheep Potato , is a species of flowering plant
in the Acanthaceae
family. Its native range is in Central America
but presently it has become naturalized in many countries of tropical South
and Southeast Asia
.
It is a small biennial plant
with thick fusiform
tuberous roots and striking funnel-shaped violet-colored
flowers. It reaches an average height of about 25 cm in moist and shady environments. It grows often as a weed
even in ruderal habitat
s. Its names Popping Pod, Duppy Gun and Cracker Plant come from the fact that children like to play with the dry pods that pop when rubbed with spit or water.
This plant has antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory
medicinal properties. In folk medicine
and Ayurvedic medicine it has been used as a diuretic
, anti-diabetic, antipyretic
, analgesic
, antihypertensive
, gastroprotective, and to treat gonorrhea
. It is also used as a natural dye
for textiles.
Some butterfly species, like the Lemon Pansy (Junonia lemonias) and the Mangrove Buckeye (Junonia genoveva), feed on the leaves of Ruellia tuberosa.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
in the Acanthaceae
Acanthaceae
The family Acanthaceae is a taxon of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing almost 250 genera and about 2500 species....
family. Its native range is in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
but presently it has become naturalized in many countries of tropical South
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
.
It is a small biennial plant
Biennial plant
A biennial plant is a flowering plant that takes two years to complete its biological lifecycle. In the first year the plant grows leaves, stems, and roots , then it enters a period of dormancy over the colder months. Usually the stem remains very short and the leaves are low to the ground, forming...
with thick fusiform
Fusiform
Fusiform means having a spindle-like shape that is wide in the middle and tapers at both ends.* Aneurysms can be classified as saccular or fusiform...
tuberous roots and striking funnel-shaped violet-colored
Violet (color)
As the name of a color, violet is synonymous with a bluish purple, when the word "purple" is used in the common English language sense of any color between blue and red, not including either blue or red...
flowers. It reaches an average height of about 25 cm in moist and shady environments. It grows often as a weed
Weed
A weed in a general sense is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens, but also lawns, parks, woods, and other areas. More specifically, the term is often used to...
even in ruderal habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s. Its names Popping Pod, Duppy Gun and Cracker Plant come from the fact that children like to play with the dry pods that pop when rubbed with spit or water.
This plant has antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-inflammatory refers to the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation. Anti-inflammatory drugs make up about half of analgesics, remedying pain by reducing inflammation as opposed to opioids, which affect the central nervous system....
medicinal properties. In folk medicine
Folk medicine
-Description:Refers to healing practices and ideas of body physiology and health preservation known to a limited segment of the population in a culture, transmitted informally as general knowledge, and practiced or applied by anyone in the culture having prior experience.All cultures and societies...
and Ayurvedic medicine it has been used as a diuretic
Diuretic
A diuretic provides a means of forced diuresis which elevates the rate of urination. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics increase the excretion of water from bodies, although each class does so in a distinct way.- Medical uses :...
, anti-diabetic, antipyretic
Antipyretic
Antipyretics ; an-tee-pahy-ret-iks; from the Greek anti, against, and pyreticus, are drugs or herbs that reduce fever. Normally, they will not lower body temperature if one does not have a fever. Antipyretics cause the hypothalamus to override an interleukin-induced increase in temperature...
, analgesic
Analgesic
An analgesic is any member of the group of drugs used to relieve pain . The word analgesic derives from Greek an- and algos ....
, antihypertensive
Antihypertensive
The antihypertensives are a class of drugs that are used to treat hypertension . Evidence suggests that reduction of the blood pressure by 5 mmHg can decrease the risk of stroke by 34%, of ischaemic heart disease by 21%, and reduce the likelihood of dementia, heart failure, and mortality from...
, gastroprotective, and to treat gonorrhea
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The usual symptoms in men are burning with urination and penile discharge. Women, on the other hand, are asymptomatic half the time or have vaginal discharge and pelvic pain...
. It is also used as a natural dye
Natural dye
Natural dyes are dyes or colorants derived from plants, invertebrates, or minerals. The majority of natural dyes are vegetable dyes from plant sources – roots, berries, bark, leaves, and wood — and other organic sources such as fungi and lichens....
for textiles.
Some butterfly species, like the Lemon Pansy (Junonia lemonias) and the Mangrove Buckeye (Junonia genoveva), feed on the leaves of Ruellia tuberosa.
See also
- 21540 Itthipanyanan21540 Itthipanyanan21540 Itthipanyanan, also designated Asteroid 1998QE11, is a main belt asteroid originally discovered August 17, 1998 by the Lincoln Laboratory Near-Earth Asteroid Research Team at Socorro, New Mexico...
, an asteroid named after the author of an award-winning study on Ruellia tuberosa