Morning glory is also called Japanese morning glory , Picotee morning glory ,Blue morning glory, Blue Bell, Ivy morning glory, Indian Jalap and White-edge morning glory. Morning glory is called Kaladana, Neelkalmi , Godhani, Gheta, Jharmaric and Mirchai in Hindi, Kaladana, Nilkalami in Bengali, Kaladana, Neelpushpi and Neelbel in Marathi, Kala Dana, Mak, Kalaeona and Kalokumpo in Gujarati, Mirchaí , Phaprúság, Bildi in Punjabi, Nil Kalmou in Assamese, Gowri Beeja, Kolli Beeja Chita Bogari and Musukina Bogari in Kannada, Taliyari in Malayalam, Jiriki, Kollivittulu in Telugu, Kakkattan, Jikiri, Jirkivirai, Kodikakkatanvirai, Kattu Talai and Jigiri Vidai in Tamil, Hub-bun-Nil in Urdu. In Sanskrit it is called Kalanjani, Krishnabijah, Kalanjanika, Shyamabija and shyamalabijaka. In Oriya we call it khami Khondo. Its botanical name is Ipomoea nil.
Ipomoea Nil or Morning Glory is an annual, perennial vine that grows over hedges and bushes. Vines range from three to six feet in length and may reach up to a maximum of eight feet. The leaves are simple three-pointed and 3 to 8 centimeters long, alternate, ovate, cordate, more often 3-lobed, lobes are ovate -acuminate, sparsely hairy; the flowers are showy, funnel shaped, blue, tinged with pink, turning to red on aging. Most morning glory flowers curl up and close during the warm parts of the day, and are fully open in the morning. On a overcast day, the flower may last until night. The flowers usually start to fade a couple of hours before the petals start showing visible curling. The fruits are ovoid smooth capsules 1 cm in diameter; seeds are black, 4-5 in numbers and are nearly triangle shaped. Its flowering and fruiting time is September-November. The vines require support, full sun and humus rich soil. It is propagated by spring seed or summer cuttings. In India they are found throughout the country in wastelands. It is native to most of the tropical world and it has been introduced widely. It is cultivated as an attractive ornamental plant in many places because of their fast growth, twining habit, attractive flowers, and tolerance for poor, dry soils. Some morning glories are excellent vines for creating summer shade on building walls when trellised, thus keeping the building cooler and reducing heating and cooling costs. It is one of the most popular ornamental plants in Japan where it is called asagao means "morning face". There are about 500 species of Ipomoea found in the Convolvulaceae family of plants.
Its most common use in Ayurveda is as a laxative. kaladana seeds give rise to a remedy for constipation. The seed from which it has got its name kaladana or Krishnabija (or black seeds) is the most important part used as the medicine. The seed is acrid, anthelmintic, anticholinergic, antifungal, antispasmodic, hypotensive, antibacterial, antitumour, cathartic, diuretic and laxative. It is used in the treatment of oedema, oliguria, ascariasis and constipation. The seed contains small quantities of the hallucinogen LSD. This is used for treatment of various mental disorders. The seeds are also psychotropic, analgesic, and have uterus and intestine-stimulating properties. In Ayurveda it is used to treat gout, Arthralgia, bronchitis, scabies in all sorts of hepatic disorders, enlarged spleen, Leucoderma, fever, dyspepsia, paralysis etc.The plant extract is hypoglycemic. The seeds must be chewed or ground in order to be effective. Soaking the ground seeds in water for several hours, filtering out the grounds, and then drinking only the water portion of the mixture can reduce some of the stomach-upset symptoms if such occur. The Plant pacifies inflammations, intestinal worms, skin diseases, flatulence, bronchitis, joint pain, headache and fever. In traditional Chinese medicine the herb is used to cure edema, constipation, indigestion and kills worms. The Plant juice destroys bedbugs.
The Seeds from which the name Kaladana is derived
