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Musta

ABOUT

The classical Ayurveda plant Mustak is co-related to the genus Cyperus botanically. Dhanvantri Nighantu and Raaj Nighantu have described three species of Mustak; BhadraMustak , Naagarmustak and >Jalmustak. Kamasutra refers to Nagarmustak as Uchheta. The name Uchetta is corealted with synonyms such as Chudala in Raaj Nighantu. Amarkosh too denotes Uchheta as a variant of Mustak. The information implies that Nagarmustak must be having aphrodisiac properties and must definitely be a different species than Mustak. A quick scan of the works by authors like Vaidya Daji Pade and V.C. Bapat may indicate that the taxon Cyperus rotundus can be accepted as Bhadramustak while the taxon Cyperus esculentus can be correlated to Naagarmustak. However Bhaavprakash considers Bhadramustak and Nagarmustak as one plant. Both the taxon have been enumerated. (This abstract is borrowed from the research thesis by Dr. Sumit Ashok Kesarkar and is copyright protected)

NOTE

The botanical identity of Jalmustak variety described by Bhavprakash Nighantu cannot be established. Further investigation required.