Ophiorrhiza mungos L.

Family: Rubiaceae

Taxonomy: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Magnoliopsida > Gentianales > Rubiaceae > Ophiorrhiza > O. mungos

Common name [English]: Indian snake root, Mongoose plant

Vernacular name [Malayalam]: അവിൽപൊരി

Nativity: India to W. Malaysia

Habitat: Semi-evergreen forests, also in the plains.

Description: Annual erect herbs, rooting at lower nodes. Leaves 7-15 x 3-6 cm, elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, base attenuate, apex acuminate, chartaceous, hirsute on veins below; petiole to 1.5 cm; stipules subulate, 3-5 mm long, 2-fid at tip. Flowers in terminal branched, scorpioid cymes, dense. Peduncle to 2.5 cm long, rusty pubescent. Calyx tube c. 1 mm long; lobes obscure. Corolla 0.8-1 cm long, white with pink shades on lobes. Capsule 2.5-3 long, 4-6 mm wide, obcordate, laterally compressed, glabrous, dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds many, angular.

Flowering and fruiting: August- October

Uses: Ayurveda, Folk medicine, Sowa-Rigpa, Siddha

Cultivation: Wild

References

http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org

https://indiabiodiversity.org