Sneeze wort

Scientific name

Stephanotis volubili

English Name

Sneeze wort

Malayalam name

വട്ടക്കാക്കകൊടി, കാക്കാലൻകൊടി

Common name

Cotton milk plant, Green milkweed climber

Description

Habit : Climbers
Habitat : Moist deciduous forests and plains
Leaves : ovate, base cordate, apex acuminate, glabrous
Flowers : green or yellowish green, fragrant in axillary cymes, umbel like.
Seeds : elliptic, concave, smooth, shining, sharp-edged, crowned with very fine, white, silky hairs.

Uses

Fever, asthma and antidote for rat poison

Parts used

Whole plant

How to use

Dyspepsia : A paste made from the leaves is combined with pepper and used to treat dyspepsia
Leaves wrapped in cloth and used as pillows by sleepless people.
Sneezing : The young roots are cut and the exuding juice is inserted into the nose to cause sneezing.

Propagation & Cultivation

Propagation by Seed: Harvest flat, ovate seeds with silky, wind-dispersing tufts from mature, split follicle pods, then sow them in a warm, well-draining medium of peat and perlite, keeping the soil moist until seedlings emerge.
Cultivation & Safety: Provide a sturdy support structure, well-draining fertile soil, and regular pruning for airflow, while wearing gloves during handling due to the plant's toxic, milky sap.