Disclaimer: The sections on medicinal uses of herbs are purely to inform interested readers, and not meant to substitute medical intervention. Please consult a physician in case of any problem.

In this section I’m sharing what I have learnt about a few plants that grow wild in gardens, and on waste patches and fields. (At this time my geographical reference is Delhi and Gurgaon, Haryana). I hope this list grows with time.

My interest in these so-called 'weeds' is inspired by the story of the chief physician in the reign of Chandragupta Maurya. As a test he sent his students to collect all the plants within a 100-yard radius of the palace, that had no medicinal value. The student who passed the test came back empty-handed.

So it is a question of knowing the plant and how and when it must be used. There is a lot of information available on herbs on the net. Here, I concentrate on slightly lesser known plants, since they are neither cultivated as ornamentals, or as medicinal herbs. Plus, many know these only by their local names, and might like to access the larger picture of them through their botanical acquaintance. I would appreciate any experience-based information on any of these from readers.
 
Botanical: Phyllanthus niruri Linn. (Euphorbiaceae)
Hindi: Jaramla, bhoomyamlaki, bhoomi amla
Tamil: Keeranelli
Description: 

A small branching 30-40 cm high herb.
Grows wild in the rainy and warm months on the northern and central plains of India. Maybe perennial along the coastline and Southern/Eastern India.

Bhui amla, jaramla
Phyllanthus niruri

Tiny green fruit, the size of mustard seeds appear under the leaves.

Uses: Whole plant ingested for speedy results in jaundice, and other forms of hepatitis. My father (a doctor himself) was given a tight ball of the plant to eat as a child, and he said his jaundice was cured within three days of the daily dose. But he mentioned that the plant was remarkably bitter and unpleasant. I tasted a ball myself, and though it was confirmedly bitter, I didn’t find it repugnant. But then, I am used to eating a lot of bitter herbs. Have also read that it is a cure for leucorrhoea (white discharge) and diabetes.
Little berries on the underside
 

 
 
Botanical name: Calotropis gigantea
Hindi: Arak, Ak
Arak, Ak
Calotropis gigantea
Description: 

A perennial, large-leafed (about 8 cms wide, and 10-20 cms in length) woody shrub, with a soft down on the underside of leaves. This grows wild all over, especially on wastelands.  It has upward facing, five-petal clusters of purple-white flowers. When you break the leaf or stem, white, sticky, milky latex dribbles out.

 

Uses:Its latex used in snake bite, by dripping it on the cut till it continues absorbing it. Two to three leaves are swallowed in case of a snake bite. The root bark is used in bronchial asthma fits, and the dried stem twigs are burnt to produce smoke, and used to cure a headache. The milky juice is applied over painful joints and covered with turmeric. In diseases of spine and nervous system, the latex is applied on the spinal cord and covered with turmeric.

Flowering Ark