Fabaceae / Papilionaceae

30
Asclepiadaceae
Calotropis procera (Aiton.) Aiton.f. Subsp . hamiltonii (Wight) Ali
English name: Swallow wart, milk weed.
Local name: Sindhi- Akk, Urdu-
Madar.
Description:
An erect large shrub or sometime small tree up to 3 m tall with white and purple
flowers in large dense cluster, milky latex in all parts of the plant. Leaves are
succulent leathery without petiole cover with waxy substances. Presence of this
species is considered that it is indicator of overgrazing land. Reproduces through
seeds.
Flowering Period:
Almost throughout the year.
Habitat:
An extremely drought tolerant plant, also considerably salt
tolerant found frequently in deserts, dry lands and full
sunny areas.
Uses:
Considerably salt-tolerant. Used for the treatment of
asthma, cough piles, fever, headache, wounds, tooth ache.
Stem yields a fiber used for making ropes, its leaf buds are
eaten by locals during snake bite. Ash of the species is
used for making gun powder, parasitic skin problems in
animals are cured by the plant.
Distribution:
Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq.