Distribution and habitat: Throughout India, grow wild on the coasts of Bombay, Gujarat and South India. Found in Florida, W.Indice and Asia.

Botany: Acaulescent herbs, with short stem and shallow root systems.

• Leaves:  Radical,  30-60 cm long,  fleshy, in rosettes,  sessile,  glaucous-green,  often crowded with horny prickles on margins, narrowed from base to apex,  surface pale green colour with irregular white blotches.
• Inflorescence: 90-135 cm long, simple or few branched, racemes terminal, up to   40 cm long. Flowers yellow or orange, about 2.5 cm long.
• Fruits: Loculicidal capsules, 1.5x1.0 cm, cylindrical or ellipsoid-oblong.

Chemical constituents: Barbaloin, β-barbaloin, Capalo-resino-tannol combined with paracoumaric acid. It contains vitamins A (beta-carotene), C and E,  vitamin B12, folic acid, and choline. 

Uses: Anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, purgative, carminative, laxative and antitumor properties. Used to cure Wounds, cuts, liver, kidney, and bladder problems. It protects skin from UV and gama radiation and has anti-aging effect. 

Formulations: Kumaryasavam, Rasnadi powder 

Agrotechnology

Soil:  Poor marginal soils, higher pH and high Na and K salts are suitable.  Also, its growth is faster on moderately fertile heavier soils viz. black cotton soil.

Climate: It grows well in warm, humid and dry climate with 300 - 2000 mm annual rainfall 

Propagation: Suckers, rhizome cuttings and tissue culture.

Planting: Spacing: 60x 30 cm or 60x 45 cm. 

Fertilizers and manures: Application of a mixture of 150 kg/ha of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus is recommended.

Harvesting:  8-12 months after planting.