EVS PROJECT

Identify all plant species in a 1m x 1m area

Types of Plants
1. Turmeric is a flowering plant, Curcuma longa of
the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, the rhizomes of which are used in
cooking. The plant is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous
plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that
requires temperatures between 20 and 30 °C (68 and 86 °F) and
high annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered each year for
their rhizomes, some for propagation in the following season and
some for consumption. The rhizomes are used fresh or boiled in
water and dried, after which they are ground into a deep orange-
yellow powder commonly used as a coloring and flavoring agent in
many Asian cuisines, especially for curries, as well as for dyeing,
characteristics imparted by the principal turmeric
constituent, curcumin.
Turmeric powder has a warm, bitter, black pepper-like flavor and
earthy, mustard-like aroma.Curcumin, a bright yellow chemical
 produced by the turmeric plant, is approved as a food additive by
the World Health Organization, European Parliament, and United
States Food and Drug Administration. Although long used
in Ayurvedic medicine, where it is also known as haridra, there is
no high-quality clinical evidence that consuming turmeric or
curcumin is effective for treating any disease.

2. Brahmi, also called Bacopa monnieri, belongs to the family

Scrophulariaceae. It is a small, succulent ( stems adapted to
store water), glabrous (smooth), creeping or prostrate
(branches above the ground) annual herb.It is also known
as Herpestis monniera, water hyssop (small bushy) and is locally
known as Jalanimba or brahmi in India. The term brahmi is
derived from the word ‘Brahma’, which refers to the mythical
God of creation in Hindu mythology.
Brahmi is primarily has been used for nearly 3000 years by
Ayurvedic medical professionals. As the brain is considered the
centre of creative activity, any substance that might boost the
brain’s health is known as brahmi. It also means ‘bringing
knowledge of the supreme reality”.Brahmi may be recognised
as a popular memory booster among locals.

3. Papaya is the plant species Carica papaya, one of the 21

accepted species in the genus Carica of the family Caricaceae. It
was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within modern-day
southern Mexico and Central America. In 2020, India produced
43% of the world’s supply of papaya’s. The papaya is a small,
sparsely branched tree, usually with a single stem growing from
5 to 10 m (16 to 33 ft) tall, with spirally
arranged leaves confined to the top of the trunk. The lower
trunk is conspicuously scarred where leaves and fruit were
borne. The leaves are large, 50–70 cm (20–28 in) in diameter,
deeply palmately lobed, with seven lobes. All plant parts
contain latex in articulated laticifers 3% of the world's supply of
papayas. Papayas are dioecious. The flowers are five-parted
 and highly dimorphic; the male flowers have the stamens fused
to the petals. The female flowers have a superior ovary and five
contorted petals loosely connected at the base.The fruit is a
large berry about 15–45 cm long and 10–30 cm in diameter. It
is ripe when it feels soft (as soft as a ripe avocado or softer), its
skin has attained an amber to orange hue and along the walls
of the large central cavity are attached numerous black seeds.

4. Curry tree, Murraya koenigii or Bergera koenigii, is

a tropical and sub-tropical tree in the
family Rutaceae (the rue family, which includes rue, citrus,
and satinwood), native to Asia.The plant is also sometimes
called sweet neem, though M. koenigii is in a different family to
neem, Azadirachta indica, which is in the related
family Meliaceae. Its leaves, known as curry leaves, are used in
many dishes in the Indian subcontinent. It is a small tree,
growing 4–6 metres (13–20 ft)) tall, with a trunk up to 40 cm
(16 in) diameter. The aromatic leaves are pinnate, with 11–
21 leaflets, each leaflet 2–4 cm long and 1–2 cm broad. The
plant produces small white flowers which can self-pollinate to
produce small shiny-black drupes containing a single, large
viable seed. The berry pulp is edible, with a sweet flavor. They
are most widely used in southern and west coast Indian
cooking, usually fried along with vegetable oil, mustard seeds
and chopped onions in the first stage of the preparation. They
are also used to make thoran, vada, rasam, and kadhi;
additionally, they are often dry-roasted (and then ground) in
the preparation of various powdered spice blends (masalas),
such as South Indian sambar masala.

5. Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in

the mallow family, Malvaceae. The genus is quite large,
comprising several hundred species that are native to
warm temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout
the world. Member species are renowned for their large,
showy flowers and those species are commonly known simply
as "hibiscus", or less widely known as rose mallow. Other
names include hardy hibiscus, rose of sharon, and tropical
hibiscus. The genus includes
both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, as well
as woody shrubs and small trees. The generic name is derived
from the Greek name ἰβίσκος (ibískos) which Pedanius
Dioscorides gave to Althaea officinalis (c. 40–90 AD). Several
species are widely cultivated as ornamental plants,
notably Hibiscus syriacus and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. A tea
made from hibiscus flowers is known by many names around
the world and is served both hot and cold. The beverage is
known for its red colour, tart flavour, and vitamin C content.