Plumbago zeylanica L. is used in Ayurveda to treat various diseases and is often called as Chitraka in Sanskrit. The root of this plant is used in Ayurvedic formulations that stimulates digestion and improves appetite. The raw materials or the plant parts are collected by untrained workers and supplied in dry condition to the drug manufacturing industries.  Therefore, there is a chance of adulteration because of vested interest or ignorance as many plants are known by common names or in vernacular names. Three species of Plumbago viz. Plumbago auriculata Lam., P. indica L. syn. P. rosea L. and  P. zeylanica L. are found in Odisha and amongst them P. auriculata Lam. is rare. All the species are known as Chitraka, but for commercial preparation of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani (ASU) drugs in Indian System of Medicines, P. zeylanica L. is widely used because of its therapeutic activities. The present study deals on the anatomical characteristics of roots of these three Plumbago species for proper identification and authentication of the desired species in drug manufacturing industries before formulating the compound drugs. Root specimen of Plumbago auriculata Lam., was collected from the authentically identified plant specimens maintained in the nursery of Regional Plant Resource Center, Bhubaneswar and the roots of P. indica L. Syn. P. rosea L., and P. zeylanica L. were collected from authentically identified plant specimens maintained in the nursery of Silviculture office, Ghatikia, Bhubaneswar. Transverse sections were made manually for each specimen separately and were cleared by using 2% chloral hydrate. The sections were then subjected to staining with safranin and fast green solutions and then mounted over the glass slides using DPX (Qualigens, India) mountant and observed under the microscope.

Transverse section of the root of P. auriculata Lam. revealed the presence of a group of stone cells arranged in a ring occasionally interspersed with cortex surrounding the large stellar region. Transverse section of the root of P. indica L.  revealed a wide cortical region comprising many layered rounded or oval shaped compactly arranged parenchymatous cells without any intercellular spaces. Stone cells are absent in the cortical region and also the cortical region do not show the presence of fibers.Microscopic observations of transverse section of the root of P. zeylanica L. showed small groups of stone cells with wide lumen present irregularly at cortical region which does not form a ring around the stellar region and also the cortical cells were found to be filled with starch grains of about 6 to 10m in size. All the three species revealed distinct anatomical features. Microscopic observations of transverse section of the root of P. zeylanica L. showed small groups of stone cells with wide lumen present irregularly at cortical region which does not form a ring around the stellar region and also the cortical cells were found to be filled with starch grains of about 6 to 10m in size which are the identifying features. This study will certainly help to authenticate the crude drug and ensure the quality.