Desmodium motora

Botanical name : Desmodium motora Linn.
Family : Fabaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Namaskari, Chalapatri

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Madhura
Guna : Lakhu
Virya : Ushna

PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Telegraphic plants, Telegraph plant
Hindi : Namaskari
Malayalam : Tozhukanni, Ramanamapacha

Distribution – Throughout India growing evergreen and semi evergreen forests and in wastelands.

PLANT DESCRIPTION
A medium sized annual or biennial shrub growing up to 2 meters in height. Leaves tripinnate, with very large centaral pinnate and small and rudimentary lateral pinnates. Due to the motor cells in the petiole of lateral pinnate, it moves frequently and hence the name. Flowers small, yellowish, seen in terminal or axillary spikes. Fruits compressed with distinct chambers, bearing 3-4 brownish laterally compressed seeds.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, kapha, conjunctivitis, eye strain, ocular diabetic neuropathy, and glaucoma.
Useful part : Whole plant.