GLORIOSA SUPERBA SEEDS

Gloriosa superba L. is a semi-woody herbaceous branched climber, reachingapproximately 5 meters in height. One to four stems arise from a single V-shapedfleshy cylindrical tuber. G. superba is a native of tropical Africa and is now foundgrowing naturally in many countries of tropical Asia including Bangladesh,India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Myanmar. It is also planted outdoors in thesouthern United States. In cool temperate countries, it is treated as a greenhouseor conservatory plant. In Bangladesh the plant is naturally found to grow in SalForests of Dhaka and Gazipur districts. Different parts of the plant have a widevariety of uses especially within traditional medicine practiced in tropical Africaand Asia. The tuber is used traditionally for the treatment of bruises and sprains,colic, chronic ulcers, hemorrhoids, cancer, leprosy and also for inducing labourpains. Because of its similar pharmacological action, the plant is sometimes usedas an adulterant of aconite (Aconitum sp.). Seeds and root tubers contain avaluable alkaloid, colchicine, as the major constituent. Colchicine is occasionallyused in cytological and plant breeding

Gloriosa superba L. is a semi-woody herbaceous branched climber, reaching approximately 5 meters in height