Thank you very much to you all for the responses... @ Chitra ji, yes, the same tribes. They are settled in southern W.Ghats of Kerala and TN. They consider that this plant also possesses similar properties as that of Arogyapacha and hence both the plants share another common name 'Sanjeevani'.
Regards Vijayasankar Raman National Center for Natural Products Research University of Mississippi On Sat, Jan 5, 2013 at 12:57 AM, Chitra Shanker <[email protected]>wrote: > Are they not the same tribe who are associated with the famed Arogyapacha? > > On Tue, Jan 1, 2013 at 7:04 AM, Vijayasankar <[email protected]>wrote: > >> Dear friends, >> >> I wish you all a very happy new year 2013. >> >> Here is my 'Flora Picture of the Year 2012'. >> >> "the seed is now ready to continue the legacy for generations to come, >> and thus to protect the species from possible extinction"! >> * >> Decalepis** arayalpathra* (J.Joseph & V.Chandras.) Venter* >> *Synonym:* **Janakia* *arayalpathra* J.Joseph & Chandras. >> Family: Apocynaceae (previously under Periplocaceae). >> >> *Decalepis arayalpathra* is a bushy perennial subshrub with milky latex, >> growing up to 2 m high. It is endemic to the southern Western Ghats and >> only has few isolated populations found on high altitude rocky habitats. At >> FRLHT, we conducted extensive explorations across its distribution range in >> order to assess the population size and also to find suitable sites for in >> situ conservation. It has been assessed as 'Critically Endangered'. It >> occurs in Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari districts in Tamil Nadu and in >> Tiruvananthapuram district in Kerala. The local Kani tribes use the fleshy >> aromatic roots as tonic and also to treat various stomach ailments. >> >> The ‘Kani’ tribe calls this plant AMRITHAPALA and use it as effective >> remedy for peptic ulcer, cancer-like afflictions and as a tonic to regain >> the lost strength and >> stamina.<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3331335/pdf/ASL-9-212.pdf> >> >> The specific epithet 'arayalpathra' denotes the resemblance of leaves to >> that of *Ficus religiosa*. 'Arayal' is Malayalam name for Peepul tree, >> and 'pathra' means leaf. The original generic name 'Janakia' was to >> commemorate Dr.E.K. Janaki >> Ammal<http://www.ias.ac.in/resonance/June2007/p4-9.pdf>, >> a renowned scientist of Botanical Survey of India, for her valuable >> contributions to the botany of India. She was appointed by Nehru ji the >> then PM as 'Special Officer' to reorganize the BSI to the current structure. >> >> Regards >> >> Vijayasankar Raman >> National Center for Natural Products Research >> University of Mississippi >> >> -- >> >> >> >> > > > > -- > Dr. Chitra Shanker > Sr. Scientist (Entomology) > Directorate of Rice Research, > Rajendranagar, Hyderabad -500030 > > --
