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Daruharidra (Species 1) / Rasanjan

Common Names


Rasaut, Rasanjan, Daruhalad

About    Taxonomy


Click to access the GRIN database record about the specific taxonomical hierarchy (Family, Genus etc.).

CLASSIFICATION


TAXON 


Berberis aristata DC.

FAMILY 


Berberidaceae Juss.

ALTERNATE FAMILY


nom. cons.

TRIBE


Berberidoideae

SUBTRIBE


Berberideae

CLASSIFICATION


Berberidinae

GENUS 


Berberis L.

SPECIES


aristata DC. Syst. nat. 2:8. 1821


Plant Description


Shrub, 3-4 m tall; stem terete, glabrous, pale yellow, obscurely or very minutely verruculose; internodes 2.5-4.5 cm long; spines mostly simple, rarely 3-fid, 5-10 mm long. Leaves obovate-elliptic, 3 - 6 (-7.5) cm long, 1-2.5 (-3) cm broad, subsessile to very shortly petioled, usually 4-8 spinose-dentate at margin, pale, slightly reticulately veined. Racemes 2-4 cm long, 15-25-flowered, rigid, rarely slightly compound. Flowers 10-12 mm across, pale yellow with petals slightly larger than the inner sepals; pedicels 5-10 mm long in fruit, stout. Prophylls c. 1 mm long. Outer sepals c. 2 mm long, ovate; middle ones c. twice and the inner sepals c. thrice as long, obovate. Petals c. 7 mm long, 4.5 mm broad, obovate with retuse apices and somewhat clawed base with a pair of marginal glands. Stamens c. 5.5 mm long with subapiculate apices. Berries oblong-globose, 7-9 mm long, 6-7 mm broad, black, pruinose-white; style 1 mm long; seeds 3-4, oblong-ellipsoid, 3-4 mm long.

Flowering Period: April-May.

 

*Description source:  Efloras.org

NLAM BLOG DATA

Rasanjan (commonly known as Rasaut) is prepared from the plant Daruharidra(Berberis aristata). The bark of the root and of the lower part of the stem is boiled in water, strained and evaporated till a semi-solid mass (Rasanjan) is obtained. Rasanjan is fairly soluble in water. Rasanjan itself is highly medicinal and used in prepartion of various Ayurveda formulations.

STUDIES & RESEARCH