Nelumbo nucifera, Thamara, Indian lotus, താമര

Family: Nelumbonaceae
Vernacular names: Thamara, താമര (Malayalam), Indian lotus (English), Padma (Sanskrit), Ambal, Tamaray (Tamil)
Distribution: South and East Asia to far eastern Russia and to Australia
Description: Perennial aquatic rhizomatous herbs. Leaves alternate, orbicular, entire or wavy at margin. Flowers projecting above water level, rose-pink, white or white at base and pink at tips, rarely creamy-yellow; Receptacle obconic, yellow. Fruiting carpels ellipsoid; seeds ovoid-oblong, black.
Habit: Aqualtic Plant
Habitat: Fresh water ponds and lakes, also grown as an ornamental plant
Flowering & Fruiting: August-January

Parts used: Whole plant
Properties & Uses: Paste of young leaf, along with fruits of Emblic myrobalan is applied on forehead to get relief from headache. Flower petal decoction is given against diarrhoea. Young flower paste is prescribed as cardiac tonic and also in fever and liver ailments. Young seed paste is used externally as a cooling medicine for skin diseases. Powdered root is taken for expelling ring worms. Root paste kept in a fine cloth and rolled to a thread and dipped in cow ghee is inserted inside the nostril of the unconscious patient suffering from fits and kept till the patient becomes conscious. Root paste in lemon juice is taken for the treatment of piles.
Systems of Medicines: Ayurveda, Folk, Unani,
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