Clitoria ternatea L.
Vernacular name: Butterfly pea, Shankpushpam, (Hindi: अपराजिता)
Species Name: Clitoria ternatea L.
Family: Fabaceae
Habit: Perennial twining climber
Stem: Slender, trailing/climbing 3-5 m, sparsely hairy.
Leaf: Pinnate 5-9 elliptic-obovate leaflets 2-4×1.5-2.5 cm, petiolate, entire.
Flowering: Monsoon-summer
Flowers: Bracteate solitary axillary; 5 vivid blue petals (papilionaceous: banner 3-4 cm, wings/keel white-yellow), 10 stamens (diadelphous anthers), superior ovary (unicarpellate).
Fruit: Linear-oblong pod 6-11×0.5 cm, 6-10 seeds.
Uses:
- Flowers serve as brain tonic, memory enhancer (Medhya Rasayana), stress reducer in Ayurveda.
- Folk remedies uses plant to manage blood pressure and blood sugar level.
- Root decoction treats fever, inflammation and urinary disorders traditionally.
- Plant has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory property.
- In Southeast Asis, flower is used to colour desserts, rice and cocktails to a vibrant blue colour.
- Used to make deep blue to bright purple colour changing caffeine free herbal tea by adding lemon juice.
- A large variety of skin care product are made to slow aging, promote skin elasticity and hair growth, nourish hair follicles and reduce hair fall.
- It improves soil fertility as act as a natural nitrogen fixer.
- It is a highly nutritious fodder for livestock.
- Ayurvedic Vishnupriya Vishnu’s favorite; cognition booster; tribal contraceptive
