Suppression
Gomphrena globosa
Category: Medicines - plant based
Type
Voluntary
Introduction and description
Gomphrena globose is commonly known as globe amaranth or bachelor button.
It has so many other names, however, that we have placed it under its botanical name.
Names in other languages include
- Bengali - botam phul (বোতাম ফুল)
- Chinese - 千日红
- Hawaiian Pidgin - bozu
- Hawaiian - lehua pepa, lehua moa loa[2]
- Tamil - வாடாமல்லி (Vaadaamalli)
- Malayalam - “രക്തമല്ലിക (rakthamallika” / “വാടാമല്ലി (vaaDaamalli)”
- Kannada - “ummigonde”
- Maldivian - Gullalaa / Gul-alaa
- Sanskrit - “रक्तमल्लिका (rakthamallika”
- Hindi - “रक्तमल्लिका (rakthamallika”
- Japanese - 千日紅 Sennichikou
- Khmer - phka tumhu (ផ្កាទុំហ៊ូ)
- Nepali - 'makhamali मखमली '
- Nepal Bhasa - gway swan ग्वय स्वां
- Lao language - dork saam pii (ດອກສາມປີ)
- Kashmiri - Gundi
- European Portuguese - perpétua roxa
- Thai - baan mai ruu rooy (บานไม่รู้โรย)
- Vietnamese - Cúc bách nhật, bông nở ngày
Distribution
Its native range is in Brazil, Panama and Guatemala, however, it has spread considerably to places as wide apart as Trinidad and Hawaii. In Hawaii, for example, it is commonly used in long-lasting leis since it retains its shape and colour after drying.
Description
Gomphrena globose is an annual plant that grows up to 24 inches in height. The true species has magenta bracts, and cultivars have colours such as purple, red, white, pink, and lilac.
Medicinal Uses
In Trinidad, the flowers are boiled to make a tea which is used for baby gripe, oliguria, cough and diabetes; it is described as ‘cooling’.
Related observations
Healing observations
- An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Trinidad 021423
- Dr Duke’s list of ethnobotanical activity for Gomphrena globosa (Amaranthaceae) 021424