Sida cordifolia

• Botanical Name : Sida cordifolia L.
• Common Name : Heart-Leaf Sida, MahaBala, Baladana, Kharenti
• Plant Family : Malvaceae
• Plant Form : Herb
• Occurrence (Sectors) : 1, 2, 10, 17, 27-30
• Occurrence (Special Areas) : Gujarat Forestry Research Foundation, Indroda Park, Ayurvedic Udyan, Sarita Udyan, Van Chetana Kendra, Aranya Van

About Sida cordifolia Plant :

• Habit : An erect, small, annual, undershrub, hairy with soft and with stellate hairs all over.
• Leaves : Ovate, rarely the lower ones cordate, crenate, obtuse or subacute, petiolate.
• Inflorescence : Solitary or few together.
• Flowers  :
  • Pedicellate, pedicels jointed below the calyx.
  • Corolla yellow, a little longer than calyx.
  • Carpels 10, strongly reticulated, ciliated at the upper margin, awned, awns 2, nearly as long as the carpels, scabrid hairy. Seeds black.
• Flowering and Fruiting Time : October - December
• Significance :
  • The root bark with sesamum oil and sugar is said to be effective in curing facial paralysis.
  • The juice of root is used for healing wounds.
  • Seeds are reckoned aphrodisiac tonic.