Glycyrrhiza glabra (Introduced)

Common name: Licorice, Liquorice, Sweetwood • Hindi: jethi-madh, kubas-susa, mithilakdi • Kannada: atimadhura, jestamaddu • Malayalam: atimadhuram, erattimadhuram • Marathi: jashtimadh • Sanskrit: jalayashti, klitaka, madhu, madhu-yashtikam • Tamil: adimaduram • Telugu: athimathuram • Urdu: mulhatti, mulathi
Bengali- “Jasthi Madhu”;

Liquorice, or licorice, (/ˈlɪkᵊrɪʃ/ LIK-(ə-)rish or /ˈlɪkᵊrɪs/ LIK-(ə-)ris)[2] is the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra from which a sweet flavour can be extracted. The liquorice plant is a legume native to southern Europe, India, and parts of Asia. It is not botanically related to anise, star anise, or fennel, which are sources of similar flavouring compounds.

The word liquorice / licorice is derived (via the Old French licoresse) from the Greek γλυκύρριζα (glukurrhiza), meaning “sweet root”,[3] from γλυκύς (glukus), “sweet”[4] + ῥίζα (rhiza), “root”,[5][6] the name provided by Dioscorides.[7]
It has been traditionally known and used as medicine in Ayurveda for rejuvenation.[8]
It is called as adhimadhuram (அதிமதுரம்) in Tamil, irattimadhuram (ഇരട്ടിമധുരം) in Malayalam, yastimadhu (यष्टिमधु) in Sanskrit, mulethi (मुलेठी) in Hindi, Vel Mee” (වැල් මී) In Sinhalese, jethimadh (જેઠીમધ) in Gujarati, jyeshthamadh (ज्येष्ठमध) in Marathi.[9] 
It is a herbaceous perennial, growing to 1 m in height, with pinnate leaves about 7–15 cm (3–6 in) long, with 9–17 leaflets. The flowers are 0.8–1.2 cm (1/3 to 1/2 in) long, purple to pale whitish blue, produced in a loose inflorescence. The fruit is an oblong pod, 2–3 cm (1 in) long, containing several seeds.[10] The roots are stoloniferous.[11]
Liquorice, which grows best in well-drained soils in deep valleys with full sun, is harvested in the autumn two to three years after planting.[10]
Most liquorice is used as a flavouring agent for tobacco.
Liquorice flavour is found in a wide variety of candies or sweets. In most of these candies, the taste is reinforced by aniseed oil so the actual content of liquorice is very low.
Glycyrrhizin has also demonstrated antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and blood pressure-increasing effects in vitro and in vivo, as is supported by the finding that intravenous glycyrrhizin (as if it is given orally very little of the original drug makes it into circulation) slows the progression of viral and autoimmune hepatitis.[24][25] Liquorice has also demonstrated promising activity in one clinical trial, when applied topically, against atopic dermatitis.[26] Additionally, liquorice may be effective in treating hyperlipidaemia (a high amount of fats in the blood).[27] Liquorice has also demonstrated efficacy in treating inflammation-induced skin hyperpigmentation.[28][29] Liquorice may also be useful in preventing neurodegenerative disorders and dental caries.[30][31][32]
(From Wikipedia on 3.5.15)
 

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Tall up to 1.5 m tall rigid herb, partially shrubby,
leaves pinnate with up to 15 leaflets, purplish flowers in racemes,
photographed on 20-4-2010 from Herbal Garden, Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi, 213 m asl.  

Looks like Glycyrrhiza glabra (Fabaceae), popularly known as ‘Licorice’, an important medicinal plant cultivated in our country.

This plant is indeed Glycyrrhiza glabra in Bengali we call it “Jasthi Madhu” . I know this plant because in our college researches   on  plant tissue culture are conducted over this plant .All over the world researchers are trying to use it’s extract as a substitute for sugar for diabetic patients.

Thanks … In fact I had seen the label in the area, but perhaps it got hidden in almost a forest like growth (abiet height) of the plant in the herbal garden in Delhi, a plant I had never seen earlier.

In Glycyrrhiza glabra spikes are densely packed with flowers and also mark the length of the spike before final ID …

I am quite sure that the plant posted by … is G glabra because I have seen this plant very closely thanks to my college where I studies my M.Sc , regular plant tissue culture experiment was performed on this plant. All the plant was intially brought from Ramkrishna Mission Narendrapur. Even in West Bengal the stem of this plant is sold in the market, when I personally have a bad cough I take it. Just you have to cut the dried stem into pieces and chew it. Tastes sweet and also its Natural “Hall” ot “ Chloromint“. It is because of this sweet thing that the researchers around the world are trying to use it as a substitute for sugar for diabetic patient. The sweet substance found in licorice is 4-5 times more sweeter than normal sugar.

This one perfectly matches with my plant

another link

Third image is Tephrosia sp

A type of G.glabra in Link.
http://apps.kew.org/herbcat/getImage.do?imageBarcode=K000118169

 

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Glycyrrhiza glabra field SN270219 : 5 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (2)
Glycyrrhiza glabra cultivation in Hishar (Haryana Agriculture University), Medicinal plant farm.

nice. i wonder what is  its season to flower and set fruits?

March April flowering occurs

 

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