Botanical Name

Rosa x centifolia L.

Family

Rosaceae.

Synonyms

Rosa centifolia var. muscosa (Aiton) Ser., Rosa gallica var. centifolia (L.) Regel.

Regional Name

English : Rose, Hindi : Gulab, Sanskrit : Devataruni, Karnika, Urdu : Gulab, Ward, Punjabi : Gulab, Assamese : Varde Ahamar, Bengali : Golap, Gujrati : Moshamee Gulab, Kannada : Rojahu, Malayalam : Rosappoovu, Marathi : Gulab, Tamil : Rojapoo, Telugu : Rojapuvvu, Gulabi.

Part Used

Flower, Petals.

Description

Gulab is a small erect shrub, 1-1.8 m high, cultivated in gardens. Flower stalked, pinkish-yellow, consists of sepals, petals and stamens attached to pedicel with thalamus at the base; stalk 0.6-3.5 cm long, light green, slender, covered with numerous prickles and hairs; thalamus 1.0-1.8 cm long, light greenish brown, covered with numerous prickles and hairs; sepal 5, free, 1.3-2.4 cm long, unequal, leaflike, upper part creamish-green and light yellowish-green on lower part, having glandular hairs; petals numerous, pinkish-yellow, 1.5-4.2 cm long, 1.3-2.5 cm wide, smooth obovate to sub-cordate; stamens numerous, free, unequal, dorsifixed, darkbrown; filament 0.3-0.5 cm long; carpels many free, ovary inferior; styles lateral, hairy,free; stigma terminal; taste, astringent; odour, aromatic.

Phytoconstituents

Gulab contains  Essential Oils. It contains citronellol, phenyl ethanol, geraniol, nerol, farnesol and with traces of nonanol, linalool, nonanal, phenyl acetaldehyde, citral, carvone, citronellyl acetate, 2- phenylmenthyl acetate, methyl eugenol, euginol and rose oxide.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Tikta, Kasaya, Guna : Laghu, Vipaka : Katu, Virya : Sita, Karma : Sukrakara, Dipana, Hrdya, Kaphahara, Netrya, Pittahara,Vatahara, Varnaya.

Ayurvedic Applications

Kustha, Daha, Mukhasphota, Raktapitta, Raktavikara.

Medicinal Uses

Gulab used in skin diseases, anxiety, stress, headaches, migrains, nervous tension and help in emotional problems such as anger, sadness and loss. It is also used in Female reproductive problems,  menopausal symptoms and irregular periods, sexual problems in men, respiratory and digestive systems.