Journal of Experimental Sciences Vol. 2, Issue 3, Pages 30-32 [2011] www.jexpsciences.com * Corresponding Author, Email: sprothe@rediffmail.com JES ISSN: 2218-1768 Regular Article Medicinal Significance of Ornamental Plants in Human Welfare from Akola District (M.S.) I ndia Rothe S. P. * , Bokhad M. N. and Kakpure M. R. Department of Botany, Shri Shivaji College of Art, Commerce and Science, Akola, 444001 ABSTRACT: The present papers deals with the study of 35 ornamental plants planted in the gardens or as avenue tree, along with some cultivated plants, with their medicinal significance. Some valuable information was collected from medicine mens, labors and villagers by taking an oral interview. Key words: Medicinal, Ornamental plants, Akola I ntroduction Akola district of West Vidarbha in Maharashtra state have its own identity as a cotton city where Agriculture University started in 1970. This university layout his own garden and planted a number of plants. Some of them are exotics or aliens. While public gardens are also set up and their management is under Municipal Corporation. Also some of the plants are planted in house garden during exploration of these plants it is observed that most of the people are using them as a primary healthcare, to cure number of diseases. Some of them have ornamental value or they are planted as showy plants. In the ancient features of the garden of the temple and palaces. The Aryans of the Vedic period were great lover of trees and flower in the Ramayana it has been narrated that palace has nice garden with numerous flowers and shady groves. Ashokvana the groves was composed mainly of Ashoka tree. The tree Kadamba was closely associated with Lord Krishna. The great emperor Ashoka adopted arboriculture encourages the planting of Avenue trees. Mughal were lover of garden trees and flower. The Mughal gardens in India were laid out in symmetrical pattern containing the scented trees shrubs, climbers and bulbs. The arrival of British in India changed the whole pattern of gardening by laying out park and garden. The importance of ornamental and horticulture from aesthetic, environmental and economic point of view is not a properly understood in India. These subjects remain more or less neglected. However in past three decades ornamental horticulture has attained importance and made a considerable progress. The ornamental horticulture deals with the beautifying garden either near home, landscaping, highways, railway stations, cities, town, factory and educational institutes. Botanically this district was explored by S. Y. Kamble and S. G. Pradhan (1979) and they completed a flora of Akola district. Later on, added some new addition and some noteworthy plants from this district time to time (Rothe, 2000; 2004 and 2007). About the ornamental no body explored this district. As the identification of the ornamental plants are so difficult. Their common names are related with the regional names or they have common English names. Some time the names are given by nurseryman. Still there is a use of ornamental in medicines by the labor, villagers, and even by the tribals. An oral interview with the medicine men we have collected some valuable information from them. The present papers containing a list of 35 plants with their medicinal significance. Materials and Methods During exploration frequent visits are arranged to Public Park, house, garden, nurseries and adequate material of plants are collected, after drying plant specimen herbarium sheets are prepared these are identified by using floras (Almeida, 1996-2009; Cooke, 1967; Diwakar & Sharma, 2000; Kamble & Pradhan, 1988; Naik, 1998; Sharma et al, 1996; Singh & Karthikeyan, 2000 and Singh et al, 2001) and manual of cultivated plants (Bailey, 1924). The information collected by oral talk and interviews with medicine man & nursery peoples are noted as a foot notes on every herbarium specimens. All these herbarium specimens are deposited in herbaria of botany department at Shri Shivaji College Akola. Observations and Results 1. Spilanthus acmella Auct. Plur. Family: Asteraceae Akkalkara: Planted in kitchen garden. Uses: Flower used against tooth ache; flower of Spilanthus + Roots of Acorus against cough; flower of Spilanthus + roasted CuSo4 take in equal quantity and mixed in urine of cow & applied externally against dog bite; flower of Spilanthus + Acorus + Centella + Glycerrhiza in equal quantity mixed with honey used as a brain tonic. Spilanthus + ginger + oil of Madhuka and Brassica applied against paralytic attack. 2. Colocasia esulenta (L.) Schott . Family: Amaryllidaceae Alu; planted in kitchen garden. Uses: Leaves for lactation, ash of leaves mixed in Sesamum oil against the swollen growth. Powder of bark + sugar against acidity. Juice of leaves + juice of Tinospora mixed in two spoon ghee take for a period of 3 months used against leprosy. 3. Nerium indicum Mill. Family: Apocynaceae Kanher, planted as an ornamental. Uses: Root and bark of stem used to improve sexual weakness, piles and bite of insects and snakes. 4. Bauhinia variegata L. Family: Caesalpiniceae Kanchan; planted along road side. Uses: Bark of Bauhinia variegata + Wrightia, + Swertia + Azadirachta + Commiphora and Rubina take in a equal quantity and decoction is prepared, one cup decoction is taken thrice in a day against cancer 5. Pandanus odoratissimus L.f. Family: Pandanaceae Kevda: planted in a garden. Uses: Root powder mixed in a cup of milk and one spoon of sugar used against leucorrhoea. Direct flower powdered smoked in hysteria leaves juice mixed in a powder of Cuminum cyminum and sugar used to remove heat from body. 6. Rosa indica L. Family: Rosaceae Gulab; planted in garden. Uses: Rose water for cleaning eye, flower mixed in sugar after one month used against skin disease, purification of blood, piles, and leucorrhea disease and urinal disorder. 7. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. Family: Malvaceae Jaswand; planted in a garden Uses: Root of hibiscus mixed in a cup of milk used to keep a pregnancy. Flower buds mixed in a cup of milk and sugar used as a brain tonic, urinary disorder and sexual impotency, piles and blood dysentery and leucorrhea. Leaf juice mixed with sodium salt and