Thanks Vijaysankar ji I wanted to search the older thread which you have shared promptly in this reply. The plant in the report is same as you had earlier told on this forum. Dr Satish Phadke
On 11 May 2011 20:11, Vijayasankar <[email protected]> wrote: > We have already discussed about this plant (in Feb'10), and its id is also > established few years back by Dr.Narasimhan. Please check this link: > > https://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix/browse_thread/thread/92ac7bc2091f065/fadcb1e29afbcc21?hl=en&lnk=gst&q=ramkand#fadcb1e29afbcc21 > > I am glad that it has now been published with a scientific evidence. > > Regards > > Vijayasankar Raman > National Center for Natural Products Research > University of Mississippi > > > > On Wed, May 11, 2011 at 6:15 AM, Mahadeswara <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Very valuable and useful info. Thanks for sharing. >> >> On May 11, 2:10 pm, Satish Phadke <[email protected]> wrote: >> > The link may not work so I have copied the contents of an article >> related to >> > one interesting plant we had discussed earlier. I think Pankaj Oudhia ji >> has >> > more knowledge on this. >> http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Client.asp?Daily=TOIPU&showST=... >> > >> > http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=. >> .. >> > >> > Dr Phadke Satish >> > >> > Green group conducts DNA barcoding of Ramkand Kalyani Sardesai TNN >> > >> > Pune: Sahyadri Genes, a Kolhapur-based environmentalcum-research group, >> and >> > the department of botany, Shivaji University, have carried out DNA >> barcoding >> > of the Ramkand plant, which, according to popular legend, was consumed >> by >> > Lord Rama while in exile. >> > The study, which establishes that the plant is a monocot and not a >> > tuber, has been published in the recent issue of ‘Current Science’. >> > Speaking to TOI, Mansingraj Nimbalkar, president, Sahyadri Genes, >> said, >> > “For several years, the exact identity of Ramkand has remained a mystery >> for >> > both plant researchers and students. Though the tuber is being sold for >> > several years, especially at places of pilgrimage, its source is one of >> the >> > best kept secrets by vendors. The name and information provided by >> vendors >> > give an impression that the tuber was eaten by Lord Rama during his days >> of >> > exile. Previous efforts to identify the plant have proved unsuccessful. >> The >> > only material available for study are the thin slices sold by vendors.” >> > During the study, the team initially found it difficult to establish >> its >> > identity as a monocot. “Though the anatomical study showed a cell >> structure >> > typical to the monocot, it only confused us further. This is because, >> > monocots have adventitious roots and not a tap root.” >> > The DNA was extracted from the slices obtained from a vendor at >> Jyotiba >> > hill temple at Wadi Ratnagiri in Kolhapur district. The slices were >> > approximately 4.5 inches in size and two to three mm in thickness. >> > The sequence was used to find similarities with the other submitted >> > sequences. The search showed that the sequence was 89 per cent similar >> to >> > the Agave sisalana — a monocot. >> > “To confirm this further, we checked more plants of the Agave genus. >> The >> > leaves enclosing the rosette and juvenile inflorescence (soft middle >> portion >> > of the plant) were removed, which exposed the core of the rosette. The >> core >> > was soft and similar in dimension to that of the Ramkand plant,” said G >> B >> > Dikshit, professor, department of botany, Shivaji University. >> > Taxonomist S R Yadav explained the significance of the DNA >> barcoding. >> > “It is a major step forward as the plant has proved to be difficult to >> > place. Over the last 25 years, I have approached leading botanists in >> the >> > country to help me identify the Ramkand, but they could not,” he said. >> > Moreover, the study dispels the myth about the plant being a tuber. >> “The >> > origin of the plant is being carefully concealed by vendors, but >> Ramkand, >> > which is sold to devotees in the name of Lord Rama, is actually not >> > recommended for human consumption. In fact, it can prove to be >> poisonous,” >> > he said. >> > “One variety of the Agave genus is used to make a syrup for diabetic >> > patients, but, by and large, the species are not meant to be eaten. >> Since it >> > is sold in thin slices and people consume it in small quantities, it may >> not >> > have had any noticeable after-effects. But it is important that people >> know >> > the facts,” Yadav said. >> > >> > The Ramkand plant >> > >
