GARLIC

Garlic (scientific name Allium sativum) is a species in the onion genus, Allium.

Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to Central Asia and northeastern Iran, and has long been a common seasoning worldwide, with a history of several thousand years of human consumption and use.

Shape & Size & Color:

• It has a tall, erect flowering stem that grows up to 1 m (3 ft). The leaf blade is flat, linear, solid, and approximately 1.25–2.5 cm (0.5–1.0 in) wide, with an acute apex.

• The plant may produce pink to purple flowers from July to September in the Northern Hemisphere.

• The bulb has a strong odor and is typically made up of 10 to 20 cloves.

• The cloves close to the center are symmetrical, and those surrounding the center can be asymmetrical. Each clove is enclosed in an inner sheathing leaf surrounded by layers of outer sheathing leaves.

Nutritional Fact:

• In the typical serving size of 1–3 cloves (3–9 grams), garlic provides no significant nutritional value, with the content of all essential nutrients below 10% of the Daily Value (DV) (table). When expressed per 100 grams, garlic contains several nutrients in rich amounts (20% or more of the DV), including vitamins B6 and C, and the dietary minerals, manganese and phosphorus.

Health Benefits:

• Boosts Digestion

• Controls Diabetes

• Lowers Cholesterol Levels

• Reduces Hypertension

• Eye Care

• Relieves Ear Aches

• Treats Intestinal Problems

• Treats Cold

• Prevents Acne

• Controls Asthma

• Prevents Cancer

CABBAGE (Brassica oleracea)

Common Name: Cabbage, Headed Cabbage. Brussels sprouts (var. gemmifera) and savoy cabbage (var. sabauda) which are sometimes called cole crops.

Cabbage or headed cabbage is a leafy green or purple biennial plant, grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage, B. oleracea var. oleracea, and is closely related to broccoli and cauliflower (var. botrytis), Cabbage seedlings have a thin taproot and cordate (heart-shaped) cotyledon. The first leaves produced are ovate (egg-shaped) with a lobed petiole.

Nutritional Value

Cabbage is a rich source of vitamin C and vitamin K, containing 44% and 72%, respectively, of the Daily Value (DV) per 100-gram amount. Cabbage is also a moderate source (10–19% DV) of vitamin B6 and folate per 100-gram serving.

Health Benefits

• Prevents Cancer

• Anti-inflammatory Agent

• Improves Vision

• Weight Loss

• Improves Brain Health

• Improves Bones

• Regulates Blood Pressure

• Skin Care

• Reduces Muscle Aches

• Detoxifies the Body

SPINACH (PALAK)

maturing into a small, hard, dry, lumpy fruit cluster 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) across containing several seeds.

Nutritional Value:

· Raw spinach is 91% water, 4% carbohydrates, 3% protein, and contains negligible fat. In a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving providing only 23 calories, spinach has a high nutritional value, especially when fresh, frozen, steamed, or quickly boiled. It is a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, iron and folate. Spinach is a good source (10-19% of DV) of the B vitamins riboflavin and vitamin B6, vitamin E, calcium, potassium, and dietary fibre.

Health Benefits:

• Improves Eyesight

• Treats Macular Degeneration

• Provides Neurological Benefits

• Maintains Blood Pressure

• Strengthens Muscles

• Helps in Bone Mineralization

• Reduces Risk of Cataracts

• Increases your Metabolism

• Acts as Anti-ulcerative

• Prevents Atherosclerosis

• Treats & Prevents Cancer

• Provides Proteins for Infant Growth

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is an edible flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae native to central and western Asia. Its leaves are eaten as vegetables.

Shape: It is an annual plant growing as tall as 30 cm (1 ft). Spinach may survive over winter in temperate regions. The leaves are alternate, simple, ovate to triangular and very variable in size from about 2–30 cm (1–12 in) long and 1–15 cm (0.4–5.9 in) broad, with larger leaves at the base of the plant and small leaves higher on the flowering stem. The flowers are inconspicuous, yellow-green, 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) in diameter,

MARIGOLD

French marigolds Tagetes patula,

African marigolds Tagetes erecta

Signet marigolds Tagetes tenuifolia.

Common Name: Merigold, Tagetes , Cempōhualxōchit

Tagetes / Merigold is a genus of 50 species of annual or perennial, mostly herbaceous plants in the family Asteraceae. They are among several groups of plants known in English as marigolds. The genus Tagetes was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753.

Tagetes species vary in size from 0.1 to 2.2 m tall. Most species have pinnate green leaves.

Blooms naturally occur in golden, orange,

yellow, and white colors, often with maroon highlights. Cultivated varieties of marigold include multi-colored plants and those with double flower heads Floral heads are typically (1-) to 4–6 cm diameter, generally with both ray florets and disc florets.

Depending on the species, Tagetes species grow well in almost any sort of soil. Marigold has erect stem that can reach 6 to 48 inches in height (depending on the variety). Marigold has oblong and lanceolate leaves with whole margins. Some varieties of marigold have leaves with toothed edges.. Most types of marigold have spicy aroma. Marigold produces flowers all year round under optimal weather conditions.

Uses:

· Dyes extracted from the marigold flowers are used in textile and food industry.

· Essential oils extracted from the marigold show protective effects on the skin. They are used in cosmetic industry for the production of creams and lotions.

· Marigold has protective properties and used it for treatment of burns that resulted from lightning strike.

Marigolds are often used by many people for decorative purposes. But apart from its bright and attractive flowers, this plant can be utilized in other ways

AVOCADO

The avocado (Persea americana) is a tree, long thought to have originated in South Central Mexico, classified as a member of the flowering plant family Lauraceae. Avocado (also alligator pear) refers to the tree's fruit, which is botanically a large berry containing a single large seed.

• Avocados are commercially valuable and are cultivated in tropical and Mediterranean climates throughout the world. Avocado trees are partially self-

pollinating and are often propagated through grafting to maintain a predictable quality and quantity of the fruit.

Shape & Size & Color:

• Persea americana is a tree that grows to 9–20 m (30–66 ft) with a trunk diameter between 0.3–0.6 m (1–2 ft).

• The leaves are 8–25 cm (3–10 in) long and alternately arranged.

• Avocado blossoms sprout from racemes near the leaf axils; they are small and inconspicuous 5–10 mm (3⁄16–3⁄8 in) wide. They have no petals but instead two whorls of three pale-green or greenish-yellow downy perianth lobes, each blossom has 9 stamens with 2 basal orange nectar glands.

• The pear-shaped fruit is usually 7–20 cm (3–8 in) long, weighs between 100 and 1,000 g (3+1⁄2 and 35+1⁄2 oz), and has a large central seed, 5–6.4 cm (2–2+1⁄2 in) long. Early wild avocados prior to domestication had much smaller seeds around 2.1–2.2 centimetres (0.83–0.87 in) in diameter, likely corresponding to smaller fruit size.

Nutritional Value:

• A typical serving of avocado (100 g) is moderate to rich in several B vitamins and vitamin K, with good content of vitamin C, vitamin E and potassium (right table, USDA nutrient data). Avocados also contain phytosterols and carotenoids, such as lutein and zeaxanthin.

Health Benefits:

• Aids in Digestion

• Dental Care

• Liver Care

• Improves Vision

• Promotes Healthy Heart

• Kidney Health

• Treats Arthritis

• Anti-cancer Properties

• Weight Management

• Strengthens Bones

• Useful for Athletes

ACORUS CALAMUS (Sweet Flag)

Acorus calamus (also called sweet flag or calamus, among many common names) is a tall perennial wetland monocot of the Acoraceae family, in the genus Acorus.

Size: Sweet Flag is a perennial herb, 30 to 100 cm tall.

In habit it resembles the Iris. It consists of tufts of basal leaves that rise from a spreading rhizome. The leaves are erect yellowish-green, radical, with pink sheathing at their bases, sword-shaped, flat and narrow, tapering into a long, acute point, and have parallel veins. The leaves have smooth edges, which can be wavy or crimped. The sweet flag can easily be distinguished from Iris and other similar plants by the crimped edges of the leaves, the fragant odour it emits when crushed, and the presence of a spadix.

Range & Habitat:

Sweet Flag is native to India, central Asia, southern Russia and Siberia, and perhaps Eastern Europe. It also grows in China and Japan. It was introduced into Western Europe and North America for medicinal purposes. Habitats include edges of small lakes, ponds and rivers, marshes, swamps, and wetlands.

Uses:

Sweet Flag is native to India, central Asia, southern Russia and Siberia, and perhaps Eastern Europe. It also grows in China and Japan. It was introduced into Western Europe and North America for medicinal purposes. Habitats include edges of small lakes, ponds and rivers, marshes, swamps, and wetlands.

Health Benefits:

• Sinus congestion

• Best antidote

• Cough & Fever

• Improve memory

• Asthma

• Voice clarity

• Sedative

• Dilates blood vessels

• Skin care

• Hare care

BASELLA ALBA

Common name: Malabar spinach, vine spinach, Ceylon spinach and Indian spinach.

It is an edible perennial vine in the family Basellaceae. It is found in tropical Asia and Africa where it is widely used as a leaf vegetable. It is native to the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and New Guinea.

Shape: Basella alba is a fast-growing, soft-stemmed vine, reaching 10 meters (33 ft) in length. Its thick, semi-succulent, heart-shaped leaves have a mild flavor and mucilaginous texture.

Health Benefits:

• It is rich in vitamins A and C, iron and calcium.

• Basella is one of versatile leafy green vegetable and revered in some East Asian cultures for its wholesome phytonutrient profile.

• Basella is very low in calories and fats (100 grams of raw leaves provide just 19 calories). Nonetheless, it holds an incredibly good amount of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

• Fresh leaves, particularly of basella rubra, are rich sources of several vital carotenoid pigment anti-oxidants such as ß-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin.

• Its thick, fleshy leaves are an excellent source of non-starch polysaccharide, mucilage.

• Vine spinach leaves and stem are incredibly rich sources of vitamin A. 100 g fresh leaves provide 8000 IU or 267% of recommended daily allowance (RDA) of this vitamin. Vitamin-A required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin, and essential for good eyesight.

• Basella has more vitamin C content than English spinach. 100 g of fresh greens contains 102 mg or 102% of daily recommended levels of vitamin-C.

• Likewise in spinach, basella too is an excellent source of iron. 100 g fresh leaves contain about 1.20 mg or 15% of daily intake of iron. Iron is an essential trace element required by the human body for red blood cell (RBC's) production.

CAPSICUM ANNUUM

Capsicum annuum is a species of the plant genus Capsicum (peppers) native to southern North America and northern South America. This species is the most common and extensively cultivated of the five domesticated capsicums. The species encompasses a wide variety of shapes and sizes of peppers, both mild and hot, such as bell peppers, jalapeños, and cayenne peppers. Cultivars are descended from the wild American bird pepper still found in warmer regions of the Americas. In the past some woody forms of this species have been called C. frutescens, but the features that

were used to distinguish those forms appear in many populations of C. annuum and it is not a consistently recognizable feature in C. frutescens species.

Uses In Medicine

• Hot peppers are used in medicine as well as food in Africa and other places around the world. It is employed in medicine, in combination with Cinchona in intermittent and lethargic affections, and also in atonic gout, dyspepsia accompanied by flatulence, tympanitis, paralysis etc.

• Cayenne is a digestive stimulant, a cardiovascular tonic, and a first aid application for bleeding.

• Botanically speaking, the pepper is a berry, not a vegetable.

• Cayenne is also known as guinea spice, cow horn pepper, aleva or bird pepper, and red pepper.

• The fruit is most often used dried, ground, or pulped and baked into cakes that are stored until use, when they are ground and powdered. It is also often made into a vinegar sauce.

• Cayenne are usually harvested at the red stage – though there are some recipes that call for green.

• In the fall, you can pull up the whole plant and hang it upside down to preserve your harvest.

ACHYRANTHES ASPERA (Puth Kanda)

Achyranthes aspera (common names: chaff-flower, prickly chaff flower, devil's horsewhip, Sanskrit: अपामार्ग apamarga) is a species of plant in the Amaranthaceae family. It is distributed throughout the tropical world. It can be found in many places growing as an introduced species and a common weed.

General Name: Achyranthes Aspera

English Name: Prickly Chaff Flower

Botanical Name: Achyranthes Aspera, Achyranthes BIdenta

Uses:

• The juice of this plant is a potent

ingredient for a mixture of wall plaster, according to the Samarāṅgaṇa Sūtradhāra, which is a Sanskrit treatise dealing with Śilpaśāstra (Hindu science of art and construction).

• It is one of the 21 leaves used in the Ganesh Patra Pooja done regularly on Ganesh Chaturthi day.

Chemical Constituents:

• Achyranthes aspera contains triterpenoid saponins which possess oleanolic acid as the aglycone. Ecdysterone, an insect moulting hormone, and long chain alcohols are also found in Achyranthes aspera.

• Other chemical constituents such as achyranthine, betaine, pentatriaontane, 6-pentatriacontanone, hexatriacontane, and tritriacontane are also present.

Some interesting facts:

• Habit: a wild, perennial, erect herb.

• Stem: herbaceous but woody below, erect, branched, cylindrical, solid, angular, hairy, longitudinally striated, nodes and internodes are prominent, green but violet or pink at nodes.

• Leaves: ramal and cauline, simple, exstipulate, opposite decussate, petiolate, ovate or obovate, entire, acute or acuminate, hairy all over, unicostate reticulate.

• Inflorescence: a spike with reflexed flowers arranged on long peduncle.

• Flowers: bracteate, bracteolate, bracteoles two, shorter than perianth, dry, membranous and persistent, sessile, complete, hermaphrodite, actinomorphic, pentamerous, hypogynous, small, spinescent, green.

• Bracts: ovate, persistent, awned.

• Perianth: made up of 5 tepals, polyphyllous, imbricate or quincuncial, green, ovate to oblong, persistent.

• Androecium: made up of 10 stamens, out of which 5 are fertile and 5 are scale-like, fimbriated, sterile staminodes, both alternating with each other, fertile stamens are antiphyllous, monadelphous, filaments slightly fused at the base, dithecous, dorsifixed or versatile, introrse.

• Gynoecium: it is bicarpellary, syncarpous, superior, unilocular, ovule one, basal placentation, style single and filiform, stigma capitate.

• Fruits: oblong utricle

• Seeds: endospermic with curved embryo, 2 mm long, oblong black.

• Flowering and Fruiting time: September to April

APPLE

The apple tree is a deciduous tree in the rose family best known for its sweet, pomaceous fruit, the apple. It is cultivated worldwide as a fruit tree, and is the most widely grown species in the genus Malus. Apples have been grown for thousands of years in Asia and Europe, and were brought to North America by European colonists. Apples have religious and mythological significance in many cultures, including

Norse, Greek and European Christian traditions.

• Apple trees are large if grown from seed. Generally apple cultivars are propagated by grafting onto rootstocks, which control the size of the resulting tree. There are more than 7,500 known cultivars of apples, resulting in a range of desired characteristics. Different cultivars are bred for various tastes and uses, including cooking, eating raw and cider production. In 2010, the fruit's genome was sequenced as part of research on disease control and selective breeding in apple production.

Shape & Size & Color:

• The apple is a deciduous tree, generally standing 2 to 4.5 metres (6 to 15 feet) tall in cultivation and up to 15 m (49 ft) in the wild, though more typically 2 to 10 m (6.5 to 33 ft).

• The buds are egg-shaped and dark red or purple in color; they range in size from 3 to 5 millimeters, but are usually less than 4 mm.

• The leaves are attached alternately by short leaf stems 1-to-3.5 cm (1⁄2-to-1+1⁄2 in) long.

Nutritional Value:

• The long list of health benefits attributed to apples is due to the vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and organic compounds found in them. These important nutritional elements include vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, and riboflavin.

Health Benefits:

• Prevent Cancer

• Improve Intestinal Health

• Treat Anemia

• Control Diabetes

• Prevent Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s Diseases

• Prevent Heart Diseases

• Treat Respiratory Issues

• Treat Rheumatism

• Improve Vision

• Weight Loss

• Skin Care

ACMELLA OLERACEA

Acmella Oleracea is a species of flowering herb in the family Asteraceae.

Common names include toothache plant, paracress, sechuan button, buzz buttons, tingflowers and electric daisy. In Brazil it is called jambu. In Maharashtra it is called 'अक्कलकाढा '. Its native distribution is unclear, but it is likely derived from a Brazilian Acmella species.

It is grown as an ornamental and attracts fireflies when in bloom. It is used as a medicinal remedy in various parts of the world. A small, erect plant

Medicinal Uses:

• A decoction or infusion of the leaves and flowers is a traditional remedy for stammering, toothache, and stomatitis.

• An extract of the plant has been tested against various yeasts and bacteria and was essentially inactive. It has been shown to have a strong diuretic action in rats.

• As a bush plant used for treating toothache, the analgesic effect of the Spilanthes plant has been attributed to the presence of constituents containing an N-isobutylamide moiety, such as spilanthol, a substance that has been found to be an effective sialogogue, an agent that promotes salivation. Spilanthol is absorbed trans-dermally and through the buccal mucosa. Spilanthol may activate TRPA1, a specific transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channel in the oral cavity.

Cultivation:

• This plant prefers well-drained, black (high organic content) soil. If starting outdoors, the seeds should not be exposed to cold weather, so start after last frost. Seeds need direct sunlight to germinate, so should not be buried.

ASPARAGUS (Asparagus officinalis)

Common name : Asparagus, or garden asparagus, folk name sparrow grass.

ASPARAGUS (Asparagus officinalis): A spring vegetable, a flowering perennial plant. It is widely cultivated as a vegetable crop. Asparagus is a herbaceous growing plant to 100–150 cm (39–59 in) tall, with stout stems with much-branched, feathery foliage.

Shape: The "leaves" are in fact needle-like cladodes (modified stems) in the axils of scale leaves; they are 6–32 mm (0.24–1.26 in) long and 1 mm (0.039 in) broad, and clustered four to 15 together, in a rose-like shape.

The fruit is a small red berry 6–10 mm diameter, which is poisonous to humans.

Uses : young asparagus shoots are commonly eaten: once the buds start to open ("ferning out"), the shoots quickly turn woody. Water makes up 93% of asparagus's composition. Asparagus is low in calories and is very low in sodium. It is a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, and zinc, and a very good source of dietary fibre, protein, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese, and selenium

BLACK PEPPER

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning, known as a peppercorn. Peppercorns and the ground pepper derived from them may be described simply as pepper, or more precisely as black pepper (cooked and dried unripe fruit), green pepper (dried unripe fruit), and white pepper (ripe fruit seeds).

Shape & Size & Color:

• When fresh and fully mature, it is approximately 5 millimetres (0.20 in) in diameter and dark red, and contains a single seed like all drupes.

Varieties:

• Black pepper

• White pepper

• Green pepper

• Red peppercorns

• Pink pepper

Nutritional Fact:

• One tablespoon (6 grams) of ground black pepper contains moderate amounts of vitamin K (13% of the daily value or DV), iron (10% DV) and manganese (18% DV), with trace amounts of other essential nutrients, protein and dietary fibre.

Health Benefits:

• Improves Digestion

• Weight Loss

• Provides Respiratory Relief

• Skin Care

• Antibacterial Quality

• Antioxidant Potential

• Improves Cognitive Function

• Enhances Bioavailability

• Treats Peptic Ulcers

• Prevents Asthma

• Relieves could and cough

• Improves oral health

• Improves fertility in men & Helps quit smoking

AAMLA

Phyllanthus emblica, also known as emblic, myrobalan, Indian gooseberry, Malacca tree, or amla from Sanskrit amalaki is a deciduous tree of the family Phyllanthaceae. It is known for its edible fruit of the same name.

• Amla is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree, which is known for its edible fruit of the same name. The tree has a crooked trunk and spreading branches. The leaves are simple, nearly stalkless and closely set along slender branchlets.

• In Ayurveda text it is mentioned that the special properties of rejuvenation and revitalizing of the entire body systems lie in the fruit of Aamla. Aamla or Emblica officinalis which is its Latin name is found extensively in India in the form of two varieties.

• Amla is a subtropical plant and prefers dry subtropical climate. Even mild frost during the winter months can be injurious to the tree.

Shape & Size & Color:

• The tree is small to medium in size, reaching 1–8 metres(3.5–26 feet) in height. The bark is mottled.

• The leaves are simple, subsessile and closely set along branchlets, light green, resembling pinnate leaves.

• The flowers are greenish–yellow.

• The fruit is nearly spherical, light greenish–yellow, quite smooth and hard on appearance, with six vertical stripes or furrows.

Some Interesting facts:

• Bloom time: Late Winter/Early Spring

• Height: 10 to 26 feet

• Sunlight: Full sunlight

• Soil: It is well adapted to variety of soils at pH ranging from alkaline to neutral and acidic. Plant shows preference for calcareous well drained and light textured soils.

• Water: For young plants, water should be provided every 10-15 days.

• Temperature: Can tolerate temperature from freezing to 46 degrees C.

• Fertilizer: Organic manures are preferred. The crop does not have any specific requirement for N, P and K. However FYM or nitrogenous fertilizers applied in appropriate quantities result in better growth and higher herb yield.

AEGLE MARMELOS

Aegle marmelos, commonly known as bael (or bili or bhel), also Bengal quince, golden apple, Japanese bitter orange, stone apple or wood apple, is a species of tree native to India, Nepal, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Myanmar.

Some Botanical Information:

• Bark: The bark is pale brown or grayish, smooth or finely fissured and flaking, armed with long straight spines, 1.2-2.5 cm singly or in pairs, often with slimy sap oozing out from cut parts.

• Leaf: The leaf is trifoliate, alternate, each leaflet 5-14 x 2–6 cm, ovate with

tapering or pointed tip and rounded base, untoothed or with shallow rounded teeth. Young leaves are pale green or pinkish, finely hairy while mature leaves are dark green and completely smooth.

• Flower: The flowers are 1.5 to 2 cm, pale green or yellowish, sweetly scented, bisexual, in short drooping unbranched clusters at the end of twigs and leaf axils. They usually appear with young leaves.

• Fruit: The bael fruit typically has a diameter of between 5 and 12 cm. It is globose or slightly pear-shaped with a thick, hard rind and does not split upon ripening. The woody shell is smooth and green, gray until it is fully ripe when it turns yellow.

ABRONIA

Abronia, the sand-verbenas or wild lantanas, is a genus of about 20 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the family Nyctaginaceae. Despite the common names, they are not related to Verbena (vervains) or lantanas in the family Verbenaceae. They are closely allied with Tripterocalyx.

• They are native to western North America, from Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada, south to west Texas, California, Baja California and central Mexico, growing on dry sandy soils. Abronia macrocarpa, a Texas endemic, is protected under the Endangered Species Act. Abronia the

Yellowstone sand verbena, is a plant unique to Yellowstone National Park’s lakeshores and is endemic to the park. Only a few species are widespread, and many are quite rare. They make very attractive garden plants for hot, dry sandy sites.

Cultivation and Uses:

The stout, sweet root of Abronia fragrans and Abronia latifolia, sometimes over 60 cm long, can be eaten as a root vegetable.

MARIGOLD

French marigolds Tagetes patula,

African marigolds Tagetes erecta

Signet marigolds Tagetes tenuifolia.

Common Name: Merigold, Tagetes , Cempōhualxōchit

Tagetes / Merigold is a genus of 50 species of annual or perennial, mostly herbaceous plants in the family Asteraceae. They are among several groups of plants known in English as marigolds. The genus Tagetes was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753.

Tagetes species vary in size from 0.1 to 2.2 m tall. Most species have pinnate green leaves. Blooms naturally occur in golden, orange, yellow, and white colors, often with maroon

highlights. Cultivated varieties of marigold include multi-colored plants and those with double flower headsFloral heads are typically (1-) to 4–6 cm diameter, generally with both ray florets and disc florets. 

Depending on the species, Tagetes species grow well in almost any sort of soil. Marigold has erect stem that can reach 6 to 48 inches in height (depending on the variety). Marigold has oblong and lanceolate leaves with whole margins. Some varieties of marigold have leaves with toothed edges.. Most types of marigold have spicy aroma. Marigold produces flowers all year round under optimal weather conditions.

Uses:

• Dyes extracted from the marigold flowers are used in textile and food industry.

• Essential oils extracted from the marigold show protective effects on the skin. They are used in cosmetic industry for the production of creams and lotions.

• Marigold has protective properties and used it for treatment of burns that resulted from lightning strike.

• Marigolds are often used by many people for decorative purposes. But apart from its bright and attractive flowers, this plant can be utilized in other ways

BITTER GOURD (Momordica charantia)

Kayo Na khaye Bitter Gourd

Common Name: Bitter melon, bitter gourd, bitter squash, or balsam-pea

A tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean for its edible fruit. Its many varieties differ substantially in the shape and bitterness of the fruit. Very bitter because of the cucurbitacins. Bitter melon nutrition is quite good when compared to more well-known fruits such as cantaloupe. The fruit is blanched or soaked in salt water to reduce the bitterness, then pickled, stir-fried or stuffed.

Health benefits of bitter gourd:

• Treats Blood Disorders

• Helps Kill Cancer Cells

• Can Stop Cholera

• Boost Your Energy Levels

• Eye Problems

• Boost Your Immune System

• Weight Loss

• Purifies Blood

• Skin Benefits:

• Prevents Skin Problems

• Skin Infections

• Anti-Aging

• Healing Qualities

• Hair Benefits:

• Make Shiny Hair

• Removes Dandruff

• Make Split Ends

• Dry and Itchy Scalp

• Decrease Hair Loss

MEDICINAL PLANTS - RATI (ABRUS PRECATORIUS)

colors exist. Jewelry-making with jequirity seeds is somewhat hazardous. There are persistent reports that the workers who pierce the seeds in order to thread them can suffer poisoning or even death from a pinprick, but there seems to be little evidence. An online search found 265 scientific papers referring to Abrus precatorius, but not one of them dealt with occupational poisoning.

Traditional Health Benefits

Crab’s eye has poisonous seeds which are red in color but white seeds are also found. The other parts of the plant are used for various medicinal purposes. The leaf acts as an aid for body inflammation and wounds.

• Leaves are used on gum for the mouth sores and to prepare the preparations of skin cancer.

• The tea made from leaves is a cure for colds, fevers and coughs.

• In Ayurveda, the plant is used to promote hair growth.

• It is also used as ingredient in the Indian hair product.

Abrus precatorius, known commonly as jequirity Crab's eye, or crab's eye creeper, cock's eyes, rosary pea, paternoster pea, love pea, precatory pea or bean, prayer bead, John Crow Bead, coral bead, red-bead vine, country licorice, Indian licorice, wild licorice, Jamaica wild licorice, Akar Saga, gidee .

The plant is best known for its seeds, which are used as beads and in percussion instruments, and which are toxic because of the presence of abrin. Ingestion of a single seed, well chewed, can be fatal to both adults and children.

Uses in Jewellery

The seeds of Abrus precatorius are much valued in native jewelry for their bright coloration. Most beans are black and red reminiscent of a ladybug, though other