Commelina bengalensis.

 

1. Botanical Name: Commelina bengalensis.
2. Plant Family: Commelinaceae.
3. Useful Parts: Whole plant.
4. Distribution: The banana plant is native to Asia and Africa. It is also found in countries like China, Taiwan, Jamaica, America, California, Pakistan, Nepal, and India. In Tamil Nadu, it naturally grows in coastal areas and adjacent lands. It is a small shrub that grows automatically. It is often cultivated as fodder. Its leaves are elongated and arranged in a fan shape. The leaves are generally green and contain watery sap. It is a small plant that spreads horizontally along the ground. Its flowers are rarely seen and are blue in color. It can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable, especially as a spinach substitute. The seeds are used as a tonic.
5. Medicinal Uses: The banana plant is used as a folk medicine by the Chinese. It is used to reduce inflammation caused by skin diseases in Pakistan. It is also used to cleanse wounds. In Nepal, it is used as a vegetable. It is also used as a remedy for foot blisters. Boiling the plant with spices like pepper and cumin reduces the bitterness. Drinking the decoction relieves heat and clears the throat. Mixing the plant with milk in the morning and evening reduces blood impurities. Boiling the plant with Asoka bark, aloe vera, and split chickpeas and drinking the mixture in the morning, noon, and evening reduces menstrual pain. Boiling the plant with Indian gooseberry, Indian asparagus, and black gram and drinking the decoction in the morning, noon, and evening cures anemia. Boiling the plant with jasmine, drumstick flowers, and a handful of salt in water and using it to bathe alleviates body odor and skin diseases. Boiling the leaves and applying the decoction to the face makes the skin fairer.