Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

382 Lobelia leschenaultina (Persl) Skottsb.
L
The leaf powder is toxic at 0.6–1.0 g.
(Francis Brinker.)
Lobelia leschenaultina
(Persl) Skottsb.
Synonym ◮ L. excelsa Lesch.
Family ◮ Campanulaceae; Lobeliaceae.
Habitat ◮ Hills of South India at
altitudes above 1,800 m.
Ayurvedic ◮ Nala (var.).
Folk ◮ Devanala (var.) (Maharashtra.)
Action ◮ Leaves—filtered solution
is used in the control of aphids,
tingids and mites on vegetable and
other crops. Plant—poisonous to
man and livestock. The leaves are
cured and smoked as tabacco.
Lobelia nicotianaefolia Heyne.
Family ◮ Campanulaceae; Lobeliaceae.
Habitat ◮ Deccan, Konkan and
Western Ghats, at altitudes of 900–
2,100 m.
English ◮ Wild Tobacco.
Ayurvedic ◮ Devanala, Nala (var.).
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Kattuppugaiyilai,
Upperichedi.
Action ◮ Used as a substitute for
Lobelia inflata.
An analysis of Lobelia nicotianaefolia,
grown in Maharashtra, shows
that the plant contains appreciable
quantities of nor-lobelanine and small
amounts of lobinine and minor bases.
Lobelia cardinalis Linn., Cardinal
Flower,iscultivatedinIndiangardens.
It contains lobinaline as main alkaloid.
Lobinaline depresses blood pressure
but has no influence on respiration. L.
erinus Linn. and L. succulenta Blume,
synonym L. affinis Wall. also contain
alkaloids with lobinaline 0.445%.
Lobelia cordigera Cav., synonym L.
fulgens Willd., an ornamental Lobelia
sp., grown in Indian gardens, contains
inulin.
Lobelia pyramidalis Wall. (Himalayas
from Kumaon eastwards to Sikkim
and Assam at altitudes of 900–2,700 m)
contains 0.29–0.38% alkaloids as lobeline,
and may be used as a substitute
for Lobelia inflata.
Lodoicea maldivica (Poir.) Pers.
Family ◮ Arecaceae; Palmae.
Habitat ◮ A dioecious palm, cultivated
in gardens as an ornamental.
English ◮ Double Coconut Palm, Sea
Coconut Palm.
Ayurvedic ◮ Samudra-naarikela,
Dariyaayee Naariyal.
Unani ◮ Naarjeel-e-Daryaayee,
Naarjeel-e-Bahari.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Kadalthengai,
Aklaari.
Action ◮ The water of the green fruit
and its soft kernel—antacid and
antibilious.
A decoction of the fibrous husk is
reported to bring down urinary sugar