Phenological events of Eryngium foetidum L. from Karnataka, India

Present communication deals with the phenological events in an aromatic herb, Eryngium foetidum L. (Apiaceae). It is indigenous to the Caribbean, but grows widely in India, China, south East Asia, Tropical Africa and Australia (Adams 1971). In India, the plant is distributed in specific geographical locations in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andaman Nicobar Islands (personal observation recorded during field work) and north eastern states of Assam and Manipur (Kar & Borthakur 2007). Because of its strong aroma resembling the normal coriander, it is commonly known as wild coriander and is used in a wide range of culinary preparations and treating various ailments in folk medicine (Ochse & Brink 1977). The plant has high therapeutic value and is used in traditional medicine to treat cold, cough, asthma, convulsions, stomach disorders, hypertension and in lowering cholesterol (Anonymous 1950). Its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties have been scientifically proven (Saenz et al 1997) and its antihelminthic potential is patented (Forbes & Steglich 2009). The plant is also a source for high value essential oil, widely used in perfumery industry (Pino et al 1997, Wong et al 1994)