Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)

Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) is a small annual flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to Europe. It is an annual plant growing to 40-90 cm tall, with grey-green branched stems. The leaves are lanceolate, 1-4 cm long. The flowers are most commonly an intense blue colour, produced in flower heads 1.5-3 cm diameter, with a ring of a few large, spreading ray florets surrounding a central cluster of disc florets.

The annual blue cornflower is a slender plant of great charm. Its rich shades of blue are much sought after, both for garden decoration and for flower arrangements. It is grown as an ornamental plant in gardens, where several cultivars have been selected with varying pastel colours, including pink and purple. In herbalism a decoction of cornflower is effective in treating conjunctivitis, and as a wash for tired eyes.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Order : Asterales
Family : Asteraceae
Genus : Centaurea
Species : Centaurea cyanus

Pronunciation/Meaning:

• Asteraceae (ass-ter-AY-see-ay) - The Aster (daisy) family; formerly Compositae.
• Centaurea (sen-TAR-ee-uh) - Latin, referring to the Centaur Chiron who discovered the medicinal uses of the plant that came to be known as Centaury.
• cyanus (SY-an-us) - Blue.

Common Names:

• Cornflower, Bachelor’s Button, Basket Flower, Bluebottle, Boutonniere Flower, Hurtsickle

Links:

• Plants for a future - Cornflower
• BBC Gardening : Plant Finder - Cornflower

Image Courtesy of refmo.

Spanish Cherry (Mimusops elengi)

Spanish Cherry (Mimusops elengi) is a lovely green small tree of the Indian subcontinent. With its small shiny, thick, narrow, pointed leaves, straight trunk and spreading branches, it is a prized ornamental specimen because it provides a dense shade and during the months from March to July fills the night air with the delicious heady aroma of its tiny cream coloured flowers. Flowers are small, star-shaped, yellowish white in colour, with a crown rising from the centre. Oval leaves, wavy at margin, about 5-16 cm and 3-7 cm wide. In the morning the fragrant flowers which so graciously scented their surroundings with their deep, rich, fragrance during the evening hours, fall to the ground.

It is used in the treatment and maintenance of oral hygiene. Rinsing mouth with water solution made with bakul helps in strengthening the teeth. It also prevents bad breath and helps keep the gums healthy.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Order : Ericales
Family : Sapotaceae
Genus : Mimusops
Species : Mimusops elengi

Pronunciation/Meaning:

• Mimusops (my-MOO-sops)
• elengi (EL-en-gee)

Common Names:

• Spanish Cherry, Bullet Wood (English)
• Maulsari (Hindi)
• Bakuli (Marathi)
• Magizhamboo (Tamil)
• Ilanni (Malayalam)
• Ranjal (Kannada)
• Bokul lei (Manipuri)
• Barsoli (Gujarati)
• Omval (Konkani)
• Bakul (Bengali)
• Kirakuli (Urdu)

Links:

• Flowers of India - Spanish Cherry
• ZipCodeZoo - Spanish Cherry

Eastern Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)

Eastern Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is a low growing, foul smelling plant that prefers wetlands. It is the only species in the genus, although the genus Lysichiton is similar. The leaves are large, 40-55 cm long and 30-40 cm broad. It flowers early in the year; the flowers are produced in a 5-10 cm long spadix contained within a spathe, 10-15 cm tall and mottled purple in colour. It flowers in the early spring, when only the flowers are visible above the mud, with the stems buried below and the leaves emerging later. The rhizome is often 30 cm thick.

Skunk Cabbage is a splendid thing for hoarseness and sore throat, taken internally and used as a gargle. It is good in all cases of consumption where there is nervous irritation of the windpipe and bronchial tubes. The roots are the parts that are to be used.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Liliopsida
Order : Alismatales
Family : Araceae
Genus : Symplocarpus
Species : Symplocarpus foetidus

Pronunciation/Meaning:

• Araceae (a-RAY-see-ay) - The Aroid or Arum family.
• Symplocarpus (sim-plo-KAR-pus) - From the Greek symploke (combination) and karpos (fruit), referring to the way the ovaries grow together to form fruit.
• foetidus (FET-uh-dus) - Stinking.

Common Names:

• Eastern Skunk Cabbage, Clumpfoot Cabbage, Foetid Pothos, Meadow Cabbage, Polecat Weed, Skunk Cabbage, Swamp Cabbage, Skunk Weed, Stinking Poke

Links:

• Connecticut Botanical Society - Eastern Skunk Cabbage
• The Nature Institute - Eastern Skunk Cabbage
• Plants for a future - Eastern Skunk Cabbage

Image Courtesy of ophis.

American Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)

American Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus syn. Lysichitum americanum) is a hardy rhizomatous herbaceous perennial, originating in America. Grown for bright yellow spathes which appear in spring. The name comes from the smell of the flower, which is attractive to pollinating insects and is said to be like a combination of skunk, carrion and garlic.

It is a native of peat bogs and marshes and, given an acid soil with plenty of wet humus, it will settle down after a season or two and produce its startling flower-head in mid-spring. The flowers themselves are tiny and clustered on a cylindrical spike or spadix. This is surrounded by a beautiful and conspicuous bright yellow spathe, which is gradually overtaken by the developing huge leaves. Plants may also be grown in shallow water at the edge of the pond.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Liliopsida
Order : Alismatales
Family : Araceae
Genus : Lysichiton
Species : Lysichiton americanus

Pronunciation/Meaning:

• Araceae (a-RAY-see-ay) - The Aroid or Arum family.
• Lysichiton (ly-sih-KY-ton) - From the Greek lysis (loosening) and chiton (cloak); as the fruit ripens the spathe is removed from the spadix.
• americanus (a-mer-ih-KAY-nus) - Of the Americas.

Common Names:

• American Skunk Cabbage, Western Skunk Cabbage, Yellow Skunk Cabbage

Links:

• Royal Horticultural Society - American Skunk Cabbage
• BBC Gardening : Plant Finder - American Skunk Cabbage

Image Courtesy of dphershman.

Purple Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius)

Purple Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) is one of the most widely known species of the salsify genus. The plant is a biennial belonging to the same family of plants as chicory and dandelion. It is grown as an annual with culture similar to that for parsnips or carrots. The long, slender, pointed, smooth, flat leaves are about 1 inch in diameter at the crown and are 10-12 inches long. Roots are 8-12 inches long, cylindrical, 1 inch or less in diameter, and salmon or brown in colour. Older roots possess a white, milky white sap.

It is grown for the edible root which has a flavour like that of oysters. The plant has also been used in herbalism, also since classical times, and is claimed to have beneficial effects on the liver and gall bladder. The root is regarded as a diuretic.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Order : Asterales
Family : Asteraceae
Genus : Tragopogon
Species : Tragopogon porrifolius

Pronunciation/Meaning:

• Asteraceae (ass-ter-AY-see-ay) - The Aster (daisy) family; formerly Compositae.
• Tragopogon (tra-go-POH-gon) - Goat’s beard.
• porrifolius (po-ree-FOH-lee-us) - Leek-like leaves.

Common Names:

• Purple Salsify, Common Salsify, Goat’s Beard Salsify, Oyster Plant, Vegetable Oyster, Wild Quinine

Links:

• Plants for a future - Purple Salsify
• University of Florida : IFAS Extension - Purple Salsify

Image Courtesy of Manuel M. Ramos.