Kingdom Plantae Family Convolvulaceae Scientific name Operculina turpethum Rank Species | Order Solanales Genus Operculina Higher classification Operculina | |
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Similar Operculina, Embelia ribes, Terminalia bellirica, Berberis aristata, Merremia | ||
A plant in the morning glory family, Operculina turpethum (syn. Ipomoea turpethum) is known commonly as turpeth, fue vao, and St. Thomas lidpod.
It is perennial herbaceous, hairy vines growing 4 to 5 meter in length, endemic to India. It is commonly found in North Circars and Deccan region up to 3000 ft. The leaves are alternate, very variable in shape, ovate, oblong and truncate or cordate at the base. The flowers are large, axillary and solitary. Fruit is a capsule with conspicuous enlarged sepals and thickened pedicles.
It is commonly known as: Indian Jalap, St. Thomas lidpod, transparent wood rose, turpeth root, white day glory • Hindi: निशोथ nisoth, पनिला panila, पिठोरी pitohri • Kannada: aluthi gida, bangada balli, bilitigade, devadanti, nagadanti • Marathi: निसोत्तर or निशोत्तर nisottar • Sanskrit: निशोत्र nishotra, त्रिपुट triputa,त्रिवृत्त trivrutt, त्रिवृथ trivrutha • Tamil: adimbu, சரளம் caralam, சிவதை civatai, கும்பஞ்சான் kumpncan, பகன்றை paganrai •Malayalam:ത്രികോൽപ്പക്കൊന്ന • Telugu: తెగడ tegada, త్రివృత్ తెల్లతెగ trivrut tellatega • Bengali त॓वूडी tevudi • Arabic turbuth
It is actually not a purgative but a mild laxative.
