FoI
Job's Tears
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Job's Tears
ative Photo: Pravin Kawale
Common name: Job’s Tears • Bengali: গুৰগুৰ Gurgur • Konkani: Ran jamdhlo • Gujarati: Kasi, Kasai • Hindi: संक्रू Samkru, संकलू Sanklu, गुर्लू Gurlu • Manipuri: ꯆꯅꯤꯡ Chaning • Marathi: रानमका Ran-maka, Kasai • Tamil: காட்டு குந்துமணி Kattu kundumani • Malayalam: Kattugotampu • Telugu: Adavi guruginja • Kannada: Manjutti, ಅಶ್ರು ಬೀಜ Ashru bija • Sanskrit: Gavedhukah • Khasi: Sohriu • Mizo: Pingpih • Angami: Kesi • Nepali: भिरकौँलो Bhirakaulo, जाबे Jaabe
Botanical name: Coix lacryma-jobi    Family: Poaceae (Grass family)
Synonyms: Coix arundinacea, Coix lachryma
Job’s Tears is a coarse annual herb. The stem is erect, branched, rather coarse, and stout, and 1-2 m high. The leaves are 10-40 cm long, 2.5-4 cm wide, with the base broad and cordate. The spikes are 6-10 cm long, erect and peduncled. The male spikelets are about 8 mm long. The capsules (fruits), enclosing the female flowers and the grains, are hard, bony, white or nearly black, shining, ovoid, about 8 mm long. The chief value of Job’s Tears lies in the edibility of the fruit. The berries are also strung as beads, used as rosaries, made into curtains, trays, bags etc.
Medicinal uses: The root is used in India for menstrual disorders. In Liberia the juice from the stem is squeezed into the eye to relieve irritation due to injury.
Identification credit: Pravin Kawale Photographed in Maharashtra.
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