148 Handbook of herbs and spices
climber with simple, alternate leaves and a jointed stem. The leaves are aromatic and
are medicinally important. It is extensively grown in India and used as stimulant. The
species is a native of Malaysia.
9.7.8 Piper longum (Long pepper)
Long pepper is a member of the family Piperaceae. It is a dioecious, perennial
aromatic climber with simple, alternate leaves and jointed stem. The mature fruit and
root and basal portions of the stem are medicinally important. The species is native
to tropical and subtropical India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
9.7.9 Semecarpus anacardium (Bhela/marking nut tree)
The plant belongs to the family Anacardiaceae. It is a small to medium sized deciduous
tree with rough dark-brown bark. The leaves are simple and large sized and the fruit
is used for therapeutical purposes. The species is distributed throughout sub-Himalayan
and tropical India, Malaysia and Australia.
9.7.10 Tinospora cordifolia (Amrut)
The plant belongs to the family Menispermaceae. It is a dioecious climber bearing
aerial roots and with papery bark. The leaves are pedicellate, alternate and polymorphic.
The stem contains starch and alkaloids and is mainly used for medicinal purposes.
9.7.11 Taxus baccata (Taxus/Yew)
Taxus is a member of the family Coniferae. It is a small or medium sized evergreen
tree, stem fluted and branches horizontal. Leaves are long, linear, flattened and
narrowed and commonly known as needles. Male flowers are arranged in catkins and
female flowers are solitary. The stem bark is used for medicinal purposes. It is
distributed in temperate Himalayas, Khasi hills, Tamil Nadu, Europe, Africa and
America.
9.7.12 Vateria indica (Kundura, Indian Copal tree)
It is a member of the family Dipterocarpaceae. The plant is a resinous tree with
whitish bark, leaves entire, penninerved and coriaceous. Young branches and leaves
are clothed with hoary, stellate pubescence and flowers are in panicles. The resin and
bark are medicinally useful. The species is distributed throughout western India.
9.7.13 Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha)
The plant belongs to the family Solanaceae. It is an erect evergreen plant with simple
alternate leaves. The plant is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas of
the world. The roots are considered to be medicinally important.