Picrorhiza kurroa (Karoo)
Picrorhiza kurrooa – Karoo ( Click to enlarge)
| Local name | Karoo |
| Botanical name | Picrorhiza kurroa |
| Family | Scrophulariaceae |
| Description and uses | It is an erect, hairy, perennial herb, 15-25 cm tall, with woody rootstock found in the Himalayan region growing at elevations of 3,000 – 5,000 meters. Flowering scapes ascending, stout, hairy, longer than leaves. The best season for flowering and fruiting is June – September. It is frequently found along stream beds and on moist slopes in all the valleys of GHNP. It is a well-known herb in the Ayurvedic system of medicine and has traditionally been used to treat disorders of the liver and upper respiratory tract, reduce fevers, and to treat dyspepsia, chronic diarrhea, and scorpion sting. The root and rhizome of this herb is used to form important ingredient of many preparations of indigenous system of medicine. The stem powder is used as laxative. |