Lepidagathis trinervis

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Photographs by: Dr. Maulik Gadani

  • Botanical Name : Lepidagathis trinervis Nees
  • Synonyms : Barleria trinervis Wall.
  • Common Name : Haran Charo, Paneru, Frilly Lepidagathis
  • Plant Family : Acanthaceae
  • Plant Form : Herb
  • Occurrence (Special Areas) : Indroda Park

About Lepidagathis trinervis Plant :

  • Habit : A suffruticose diffuse plant with woody rootstock with stems numerous with many nodes and white hairs.
  • Leaves : Sessile, muticose, acute, entire, lanceolate above, midrib beneath distinct, with a slender nerves parallel to it, near the margins, the margins scabrid, otherwise more or less glabrous.
  • Inflorescence : Axillary spikes, ovoid, many, generally near the base of the stems, sometimes all conglomerated into a subradical globe.
  • Flowers :
    • Bracteate, bracts ovate, spinous-cuspidate-glabrous, often minutely pubescent at the apex and margin, bracteoles linear-lanceolate, softly membranous.
    • Calyx membranous, non-spinescent, 5-partite, unequal, linear-lanceolate, acute, white-pubescent. Corolla white, spotted with brown or purple, densely white-haired, tube short.
    • Filaments white spotted with brown or yellow.
    • Styles pubescent.
  • Fruit : Caspsules ovoid-lanceolate, compressed, 2-seeded, yellowish-brown, shining, smooth seeds, brownish-black, rounded at the tip, with long mucilaginous hygroscopic hairs.
  • Flowering and Fruiting Time : October-December
  • Significance :
    • The plant is considered as a bitter tonic.
    • Ash of this plant is mixed with oil and applied on blotches, swellings etc.
    • It is also applied on ringworm and itch with sulphur.
    • Leaves are used as substitute for tea by some people.