KANAKAMBARA

1. Botanical name :Crossandra infundibuliformis
2. Family : Acanthaceae
3. Tamil : Kanakambaram
4. Hindi : Priyadarsha
5. Malayalam : Kanakambaram
6. Telugu : Kanakambaramu
7. English : Firecracker flower
8. Habit : Perennial shrub typically reaches 30–60 cm in height, sporting glossy, elliptical leaves roughly 5–12 cm long. The flowers are the main attraction, having 5 unequal, overlapping lobes that are typically bright orange, but also salmon-orange, red, or yellow. They are tubular, and have a distinctive fan shape.
9. Distribution : Native to tropical regions, specifically Southern India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Africa .
10. Useful part : Flower petals, stem.
11. Dose :Fresh petals: Used directly in poultices or oils. Typical topical dose: 10–15g petals, crushed and mixed with 20 mL carrier oil.
12. Indications:  
    1. Flower extracts are used in ointments to accelerate healing.
    1. Digestive Health: Stem tea is used to soothe digestive issues.
    1. Pain Relief & Inflammation: Used to reduce toothaches, joint pain.
    1. Skin Care: Applied topically in poultices for minor skin irritations.
    1. Traditional Remedies: Often used to manage fever and headaches.

Crossandra infundibuliformis shows up in classical South Indian herbal manuscripts from the 16th century, such as the Sahasrayoga.