[Assam] Konhua-ful---"Saccharum spontaneum"

Uddipana Goswami uddipana at gmail.com
Mon Apr 28 23:53:28 PDT 2008 

i'm afraid no alternatives were suggested - but i'm glad you pointed out the
possibilities :-)

On Mon, Apr 28, 2008 at 8:32 PM, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:

> >"Saccharum spontaneum" is a misnomer--"
>
>
> *** There may be an element of truth to that too. Often one can find
> that there is more than one botanical/biological name ( or even
> English/Hindi/other vernacular language names) to a plant/ biological
> specimen; particularly if it is a rare or unusual or not so widely
> occurring one. Botanical names of most plants in the Indian
> sub-continent were assigned by various European botanists. Many early
> names were revised by other botanists later, or disputed or assigned
> synonymous names.
>
> Therefore we have to remain open to the idea that any particular name
> we come across as THE botanical name may NOT be the final word on it.
> Echites frutescens  is a good example.
>
> Botanical and even English names of a number of orchids from our
> region similarly are disputed, doubted, re-named and so forth;
> besides having more than one such name. Even Oxomiya names vary from
> region to region within Assam.  A good example, again is 'bhedai
> lotaa', 'bhedeli-lotaa' and so forth.
>
> Finally I am curious about  what was suggested as the correct
> botanical name of 'konhua' (BTW it is not 'kohua'---which in Assamese
> means 'one who suffers from chronic coughing').  We can look that up
> and see if that too is a 'correct' name.
>
> Had  I not looked 'konhua' up, I would have thought it is Pampas
> grass (Cortaderia selloana),
> see:  http://www.thegardenhelper.com/pixpg/pampaspix.html
>
>
>
>
>
> At 12:25 PM +0530 4/28/08, Uddipana Goswami wrote:
> >that is indeed kohua. in which case, my botanist-poet friend who said
> >"Saccharum spontaneum" is a misnomer needs to be informed. thanks for
> >pointing this out to me. i had used it as a footnote in a poem i had
> >translated from axamiya. my apologies also to mr. chaliha.
> >
> >
> >
> >On Sun, Apr 27, 2008 at 11:03 PM, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
> wrote:
> >
> >>  At 11:11 AM +0530 4/26/08, Uddipana Goswami wrote:
> >>  >i wouldn't trust mr chaliha's dictionary with botanical names - it
> has
> >>  >proved to be incorrect on many instances - the botanical name for
> 'kohua'
> >>  >for example.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>  *** It is entirely possible that a non-scientific dictionary may
> >>  contain errors on scientific terminology. So I always cross check
> >>  with other sources, if it is anything unusual or not a commonly known
> >>  name.
> >>
> >>  But I have always found Aadhunik Oxomiya Xobdokwx to be extremely
> >>  helpful in finding English or botanical/biological names for flora
> >>  and fauna of Assam. In this instance--of 'bhedai-lotaa', I could not
> >>  find anything in any of the other reference sources that I have,
> >>  including the fairly comprehensive "Oxomor Gos-gosoni, Part 1" by
> >>  Ananda Dutta, that would have led me to its botanical name, much less
> >>  to names in other languages, had it not been for Aadhunik Oxomiya
> >>  Xobdokwx.
> >>
> >>  I looked up "konhua" in Aadhunik Oxomiya Xobdokwx . It says the
> >>  botanical name is: Saccharum spontaneum, which when I looked up in
> >>  Google showed :
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.celestine-india.com/pankajoudhia/Images/saccharum.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.celestine-india.com/pankajoudhia/po_gall.htm&h=108&w=68&sz=6&tbnid=-9Dm_8PULS0J:&tbnh=108&tbnw=68&prev=/images%3Fq%3DSaccharum%2Bspontaneum%2Bphotos&hl=en&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=1&ct=image&cd=2
> >>
> >>
> >>  Which is exactly what 'konhua' is, as could be seen in my photo
> >>  attached here. What I did I miss?
> >>
> >>  cm
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>  >
> >>  >
> >>  >On Fri, Apr 25, 2008 at 7:04 PM, DR BIKASH KUMAR DAS <
> biku006 at yahoo.co.in
> >>  >
> >>  >wrote:
> >>  >
> >>  >>  Dear DR. Deepak Shah,
> >>  >>   Welcome to this site. More welcome is your introduction in
> detail. WE
> >>  all
> >>  >>  are assamese/North East Indian from this heavenly GLOBE. The plant
> is
> >>  BHEDEI
> >>  >>  LATA grown anywhere in the NE.Yes its a medicinal plant.There are
> >>  thousands
> >>  >>  of medicinal plant.
> >>  >>   Will give you details soon as soon as you intorduce to know more
> >>  about
> >>  >>  you please.
> >>  >>   Sincere regards.
> >  > >>
> >>  >>   Bikash Kumar Das
> >>  >>
> >>  >>
> >>  >>  "Dr. Deepak Shah" <d.shah57 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >>  >>             Dear Friends,
> >>  >>  I had got your email address from AsamNet.com and I understand
> that
> >>  you
> >>  >>  reside in Assam.
> >>  >>  Well, I actually am writing this email because I need some help
> from
> >>  you.
> >>  >>  I wish to know a Hindi name of the plant known as Bhedelilot in
> local
> >>  NE
> >>  >>  lingo. This plant is widely available in NE region and is also
> known
> >>  to have
> >>  >>  medicinal importance.
> >>  >>  I am doing my research on medicinal plants and is listing it and
> will
> >>  >>  publish it consolidated over WWW with its application and use
> which
> >>  can help
> >>  >>  people worldwide.
> >>  >>  In hope of your help, awaiting your response.
> >>  >>
> >>  >>  Regards,
> >>  >>  Deepak Shah
> >>  >>
> >>  >>
> >>  >>
> >>  >>  ---------------------------------
> >>  >>   Download prohibited? No problem. CHAT from any browser, without
> >>  download.
> >>  >>   _______________________________________________
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> >>  >>
> >>  >
> >>  >
> >>  >
> >>  >--
> >>  >Uddipana Goswami
> >>  >www.jajabori-mon.blogspot.com
> >>  >_______________________________________________
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> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >--
> >Uddipana Goswami
> >www.jajabori-mon.blogspot.com
> >_______________________________________________
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> >assam at assamnet.org
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-- 
Uddipana Goswami
www.jajabori-mon.blogspot.com

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