Common Name: Bellyache plant. Tamil Name: Siria amanakku
Bellyache plant is a native of South America naturalized in India. It is shrub which grows to about 1.5 meters in height. The entire plant has a purplish green tinge and is glandular and sticky. The plant has a watery sap and has a faint nice aroma. It is one of the commonest shrubs seen on road-sides and fallow lands in Tamilnadu. The tri-lobed leaves are arranged in an alternate manner. The central leaf lobe measure around 7.8 cm. The leaf stalk is reddish, hairy and gland dotted and measure around 5.5 cm. The leaf edges are wavy and crenate. The inflorescence is in the form of a cyme. The male and female are occur separately on the same plant. The flower stalk measure around 2 mm and flower measure around 7 mm across. The flowers are reddish-pink in color. The fruit is in the form of a capsule (1.5 cm long) with 3 lobes. It consists of three tri-gonous seeds. The plant is considered poisonous, cattle and goats avoid foraging on this plant. Since goats and other animals don’t forage on this plant, it has become a dominant plant in village areas of Tamilnadu. There is a high possibility that it may be classified as an invasive species in India. Bellyache plant is processed in its native range and used as medicine for treating gastric problems.
