Botanical Name : Abroma angusta
Family : Malvaceae
English Name : Devils cotton
Hindi Name : Ulat Kambal
Botanical Classification (Taxonomy)
Kingdom : Plantae
Division: Tracheophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Abroma
Species :Abroma angusta
Therapeutic Properties :
Emmenagogue,Uterine Tonic,Antispasmodic,Regulates menstrual flow,Stimulates ovulation,Anti-inflammatory,Anti-arthritic,Anti-rheumatic,Demulcent,Abortifacient (rare effects and it may occur in excess dosage)
Root bark of ulatkambal is a valuable emmenagogue and uterine tonic, chiefly used in intra-uterine diseases and other gynaecological disorders mostly related to menstrual disorders such as dysmenorrhoea, amenorrhoea, and gonorrhoea.
Powdered root is an abortifacient and anti-fertility agent.
The leaves and stem are demulcent.
Infusion of fresh leaves and stems is effective in treatment of gonorrhoea.
Morphology :
Abroma is a shrub or a small tree, attaining a height of 3–5 m, with horizontal and velvety branches.
Leaves are about 10–30 cm long and 6–18 cm broad, ovate or lanceolate, more or less cordate, finely acuminate, membranous, entire, and three to five lobed with 1–12-cm-long petiole.
The dorsal surface of the leaves is glabrous and ventral surface is pubescent.
Flowers are purple in colour, about 5 cm in diameter, occurring on few flowered cymes.
Sepals are about 2.5 cm long, lanceolate, and persistent.
Petals are imbricate and fall off soon.
Stamens are present on short staminal tube; five staminodes are present.
Ovary is five lobed, pyramidal with many ovules in each cell.
Capsules are 3–5 cm long, obpyramidal, membranous, finely pubescent, and truncate at the apex.
Each carpel has a triangular wing behind it.
Flowering and fruiting occur in the months of December and January.
