Maerua oblongifolia is a low woody bushy under-shrub sometimes scandent to 2-3 meters high, with a thick root stock and thick leaves, and strongly scented flowers, occurring in India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

, Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

 and Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...

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The root of this plant, which tastes like coconut pulp, is edible and is eaten with sugar. In Telugu

Telugu language

Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...

this plant is called by name Bhoochakra dumpa or Bhoochakra gadda. Tribes harvest this tuber in summer. The tuber is medicinal and is eaten to quench thirst. Traditionally, the fleshy roots of this plant is used as alternative tonic and stimulant. The plant is also used for treatment of Snake bite and Scorpion sting