Bixa orellana L.

• Family: Bixaceae
• Vernacular names: Kurangumanjal, Monkey-mailanchi, Sindooram, കുരങ്ങുമഞ്ഞള്‍, മങ്കി-മൈലാഞ്ചി, സിന്ദൂരം (Malayalam), Sinduri (Sanskrit), Japhara (Tamil)
• Distribution: Originally from Tropical America; now widespread in the tropics
• Description: Shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate, ovate, subcordate or truncate at base, long-acuminate at apex, densely red-dotted. Inflorescence a terminal corymb or panicle. Flowers whitish-rose. Capsules globose or broadly ovoid, truncate at base; seeds obpyramidal, ca 5 x 4-5 mm, orange-red.
• Habit: Tree
• Habitat: Grown as ornamental plant
• Flowering & Fruiting: June-November

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• Parts used: Leaves, flowers and fruit
• Properties & Uses: Anti-dysenteric, diuretic, febrifuge and digestive. The fruit pulp is used for the treatment of epilepsy, kidney and skin diseases. The seeds are used to treat gonorrhoea and the seed oil is used to treat leprosy. Flowers used for the treatment of intermittent fevers, gonorrhoea and dysentery. Seeds are used as a mosquito repellent.
• Systems of Medicines: Ayurveda, Folk, Homeo,
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