GLORIOSA SUPERBA

Common name: Glory Lily, Gloriosa lily, Tiger claw, claw • Hindi: बचनाग bachnag, kadyanag, करी हरी kari hari, languli, उलट चन्दल ulatchandal • Marathi: कळ लावी Kal-lavi, indai, khadyanag, वाघचबका vaghachabaka • Tamil: கலப்பை கிழங்கு Kallappai kilangu • Malayalam: Kithonni, Mendoni • Telugu: అగ్నీసిఖా Agnisikha • Kannada: ಅಗ್ನೀಸಿಖೆ Agnisikhe, karadikanninagadde, siva-raktaballi, siva-saktiballi •Bengali: Bishalanguli, Ulatchandal • Oriya: garbhhoghhatono, meheriaphulo, ognisikha, panjangulia •Urdu: Kanol, Kulhar • Gujarati: દૂધિઓ Dudhio, વછોનાગ Vacchonag • Sanskrit: अग्निमुखी Agnimukhi, अग्निशिखा Agnisikha, ailni, garbhaghatini, Kalikari, Langalika • Nepali: नेपाली केवारा Nepali kewara

Botanical name: Gloriosa superba    Family: Liliaceae (Lily family)

Synonyms: Gloriosa rothschildiana, Gloriosa speciosa, Gloriosa simplex

Geological Distribution of Gloriosa superba

Gloriosa superba (Calihari) is mainly found in tropical forests of Africa and Asia. It is also found in USA, Indochina, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar Island. For the growth, it requires 375cm of annual rainfall. In India, it is found in Tamil Nadu and other South Indian forests. In Australia, it grows in the coastal region of Queensland. It does not require much nutrition for growth. Introduction: Glory Lily is a most unusual and splendid flower, which is a sight to behold. In bud, the pale green petals face downward. As the blossom matures, the petals elongate and wrinkle and gradually arch backward while sequencing through a spectrum of color from green to yellow to scarlet. The stamens are extremely prominent and spread outward in graceful curves that follow the petals in their backward progression. The flower is 3-5 in in length. Glory Lily is a twining vine that is able to climb up with tendrils formed at the tips of the leaves. Leaves are bright green and lance shape, 2-3 in. long. The leaf tip elongates into a slender tendril that coils around nearby supports to get a grip. A postal stamp was issued by the Indian Postal Department to commemorate this flower.

Chemical constituents: The plant is rich in chemical components like alkaloid. The seeds of Glory Lily contain high level of colchicines.

Medicinal use

·         It gives ease from the neuralgic pain.
·         It cures skin diseases and itching in the skin
·         It kills worms in the body.
·         It gives comfort from abdominal pain.
·         In India, it is used locally to decrease labour pain during pregnancy.
·         It is also used in the treatment of piles and chronic ulcer.
·         The extract from the root is used as a tonic that can add vigour to the body.
·         As a rich source of colchicines, the seeds of Glory Lily are used in the treatment of rheumatism and gout.
·         The tubers are used against snake bite.
·         The extract is used to kill lice.
·         The tuber is used for the cure of cancer and leprosy.
·         Africans use the extract from the leaves in the arrow because of its poisonous nature.
·         The tuber is used for the treatment of kidney problem.
·         This can also be used to reduce sexually transmitted disease.
·         The tuber of this is used to kill helminthes in our body without causing any damage to the body.
·         Because of laxative nature, it is used as home remedy for constipation.