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Common name: Chitra, Indian barberry, Tree turmeric, Nepal barberry • Hindi: चित्रा Chitra • Tamil: Mullukala • Malayalam: Maramanjal • Bengali: Darhaldi
Botanical name: Berberis aristata/chitria Family: Berberidaceae (Barberry famil)
Chitra is an evergreen shrub found commonly in Garhwal and Himalayas. It
grows to 4 m high and 0.5 m wide. Leaves, in tufts of 5-8, lance-like,
simple spiny, toothed, leathery, stalkless, pointed, 4.9 cm long, 1.8 cm
broad, deep green on the dorsal surface and light green on the ventral
surface. Spines (which, in fact, are modified leaves) are three-branched
and 1.5 cm long.
Flowers, stalked, yellow, in simple to corymbose raceme, with 11-16 flowers
per cluster. The average diameter of a fully opened flower is 12.5 mm. Six
yellow sepals (3 small, 3 large), with 6 petals, yellow, 4-5 mm long.
Medicinal uses: It is one of very important medicinal plants.
Almost every part of this plant has some medicinal value. A bitter tonic
antiperiodic and diaphoretic An infusion is used in the treatment of
malaria, eye complaints, skin diseases, menorrhagia, diarrhoea and
jaundice. Berberine, universally present in rhizomes of Berberis species,
has marked antibacterial effects. Since it is not appreciably absorbed by
the body, it is used orally in the treatment of various enteric infections,
especially bacterial dysentery.
| Photographed in Mussoorie. |
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