Geranium

Geranium is a flowering plant native to South Africa that has been cultivated as an ornamental in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. The leaves of this species are edible and can be eaten as a vegetable.

Rundbladet pelargonie (Dutch), Géranium à feuilles zonées (French), Zonal-Pelargonie (German), Geranio zonale (Italian), Wilde malva (South Africa), horse-shoe pelargonium (English)

This plant is common in coastal areas, and grows naturally in valleys and ravines, on forest margins, cliff sides and rocky outcrops with scrub vegetation. Pelargonium species can be grown in borders or containers, can tolerate soils with pH ranging from neutral to alkaline, and prefer well-drained, dry or moist, light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. It does best in full sun and is sensitive to shade, but cultivar hybrids may tolerate some shade.

• Roots - tuberous.
• Stems - succulent, hairy when young and becoming woody with age.
• Leaves - reniform and petiolate with an average diameter of 5 to 8 cm, the large leaves are often smooth, have a narrow, dark, zigzag "zone" of pigmentation, giving rise to both the scientific and common names.
• Flowers - borne in an umbel, individual flowers are markedly zygomorphic. The petals are narrow and a bright, deep pink, with reddish lines along the petals' length.
• Fruits - formed into a long beak (central axis) and five mericarps with an ellipsoid feather-like seed.

Mostly propagated by stem cuttings, cutting should be cut below a node and dipped into a suitable rooting hormone, from which flowering plants can be produced in four or five months. Geraniums are also grown from seed.

Alpha pinene, ß-myrecene, limonene, menthone, linalool, geranyl butyrate, citronellyl formate, ß-citronellol, ß-caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide, alpha humulene.

• Studies have suggested hemostatic, antimicrobial, phytoremediative, antibacterial, and anticancer properties
• Recent research provides evidence that Geranium may possess haemostatic and astringent properties.
• The essential oil of the leaves exhibited a significant antimicrobial activity against all tested microorganisms except E. coli. It is noteworthy to mention that both oils were active against Helicobacter pylori.
• Leaf infusion is used for external skin applications.
• In the Andean regions, used as a local hemostatic medicine.
• Solution from boiled leaves used to wash leprous sores after treatment with Citrus limon.

• Pisahkan daun dari batangnya. Cuci dengan air sampai bersih kemudian tiriskan.
• Jemur pada matahari ditutup dengan kain hitam tipis selama 7 hari. Haluskan hingga berbentuk serbuk.
• Kemas simplisia dalam wadah yang bersih dan kedap udara.