Clove bean, Purple moonflower
Genus: Ipomoea
Botanical name: Ipomoea turbinata
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
Sanskrit:
Hindi: Mookkatthi-kkai
English: Clove bean, Purple moonflower
Malayalam: Nithya Vazhutana, Nithyavazhuthina, Nithyakariyan
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Clove bean is an annual, weak stemmed climber with tubercled or muricated stem. Its ia an annual, weak stemmed climber with tubercled or muricate stem. Its leaves are brodly ovate, simple, alternate, exstipulate and glabrous; the base is deeply cordate. Flower bell shaped, purple violet and are with thick pedicels, pentamerous, bisexual, hypogynous, often large and showy. The pedicel is thickened upwards with calyx and pedicel growing along with the fruit which is a capsule. The seeds are polished black or cream. There are two forms under cultivation. One form has dark capsule with large pedicels and the other has lighter coloured capsules with smaller pedicels. No named varieties are available.
In addition to its culinary values, clove bean has many medicinal properties. Among the tribal’s of Chota Nagpur, especially the Mundas, the powered seeds of clove bean are a known remedy to cure fever. Juice of the plants is sprayed to kill bugs in and around the house.