Practical
Plants

Rubia cordifolia

Indian Madder

a perennial woody member of the Rubia genus in the family Rubiaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rubiaceae
Genus
Rubia
Life cycle
perennial
Woodiness
woody
Height
6 m
Spread
3 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - cooked. Used as a side dish with rice[15][5]. It is much esteemed as a lab-lab by the Javanese[14]. Fruit - raw[7]. The fruit is about 8mm in diameter[8].

Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The roots are alterative, anodyne, antiphlogistic, antitussive, astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, styptic, tonic and vulnerary[2][4][6][9][11]. They have an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Pneumococci etc[4]. They are used to lower the blood pressure[4]. The roots are used internally in the treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding, internal and external haemorrhage, bronchitis, rheumatism, stones in the kidney, bladder and gall, dysentery etc[10]. The roots are harvested in the autumn from plants that are at least 3 years old. They are peeled and then dried[10]. The stems are used in Tibetan medicine, where they are considered to have a bitter taste and a cooling potency[12]. Febrifuge, they are used in the treatment of blood disorders and spreading fever of kidneys and intestines[12].

Product or use
Alterative
Product or use
Anodyne
Product or use
Antiphlogistic
Product or use
Antitussive
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Emmenagogue
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Styptic
Product or use
Tonic
Product or use
Vulnerary

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A red dye is obtained from the stems and the root[14][15][3]. It is inferior to R. tinctoria, the madder plant[13].

Product or use
Dye

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Climber

Environment

Range
S. Europe to Africa and Asia.
Habitat
Amongst scrub in the Himalayas[1]. To 2400 metres in Dehra Dun[3]. Damp wet upland forests in China[2].
Shade tolerance
partial shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed can be very slow to germinate[8]. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for the first year. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Division in spring or at any time in the growing season if the divisions are kept well watered until established[8]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a loose moist leafy soil in some shade[8]. Tolerates dry soils but quickly becomes scorched when growing in full sun[8]. It is possible that the entries on edibility for this plant should apply to R. manjith. Roxb. ex Fleming. (syn R. cordifolia. auct non L.).

References

  1. Singh. Dr. G. and Kachroo. Prof. Dr. P. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1976-00-00

    ↩

  2. ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X

    ↩1↩2

  3. Gupta. B. L. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press 1945-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  4. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  6. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩

  7. Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00

    ↩

  8. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  9. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩

  10. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2

  11. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  12. Tsarong. Tsewang. J. Tibetan Medicinal Plants Tibetan Medical Publications, India 1994-00-00 ISBN 81-900489-0-2

    ↩1↩2

  13. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩

  14. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  15. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩1↩2

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