Taxonomy : Plantae > Tracheophyta > Magnoliopsida > Lamiales > Acanthaceae > Asystasia > A. gangetica

Description : Procumbent, perennial herbs, 30-80 cm long; stem branched, quandrangualr, scandent, densely adpressed puberulent; internode 3.5-10.5 cm long. Leaves opposite decussate, 3.5-5.5 x 2.5-4.5 cm, ovate deltoid, sub-cordate to cordate at base, acute or rarely obtuse at apex, entire, adpressed puberulent above, pale and tomentose beneath; lateral veins 6- 8 pairs; petiole 1-2 cm long, densely adpressed puberulent. Inflorescence 7-8 flowered lax spike like raceme; rachis 5-14 cm long; bracts and bracteoles c. 1.5 cm long, green, linear, acute, pubescent, persistent. Calyx divided to the base or nearly so, lobes 5, linear-lanceolate, 6-.8 mm long, acute, densely pubescent on both surface. Corolla tube funnel- shaped, 3-3.2 cm long, pubescent, limb 3.5-4 cm across, moderate yellow or white, lobes 5, rounded. Stamens 4, didynamous, included, filaments 6-8 mm long, with few small hairs, connate at the base in pairs; anthers oblong, 2-3 mm long, muticous. Ovary c. 2 cm long, pubescent, 2 celled, ovules 2 in each cell; style linear, 1.5-1.8 cm long, basal portion hairy; stigma 2-fid or subcapitate. Capsule clavate shaped, 2.7-3 x 0.3-0.4 cm, densely pubescent, opening widely in a reflexed curve; seeds 4, 3-4 mm across, compressed angular, orbicular, wrinkled sub-tuberculate, rugose with double dentate margin.

Flowering and Fruiting: September - December

Uses: some parts of Africa, the leaves are eaten as a vegetable and used as an herbal remedy in traditional African medicine. The leaves are used in many parts of Nigeria as a traditional African medicine for the management of asthma.

Cultivation: Wild

References

https://indiabiodiversity.org