Description

Bryonia laciniosa (syn. Diplocyclos palmatus in some botanical treatments), Shivlingi, is a slender climbing herb of the family Cucurbitaceae, native to the tropical and subtropical dry forests, hedgerows, and scrublands of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The plant produces small, round, mottled red-green berries, each containing a flattened seed that morphologically resembles the Shivalinga — the sacred geometric symbol of Lord Shiva — from which the vernacular name derives. Known in Ayurveda as Ishvari or Shivalingi and documented in the Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita, the seeds have been traditionally incorporated in formulations associated with female fertility, Garbhashaya (uterine) health, and conception support. Listed in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, the seeds are commercially sourced from Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.