1215

 Graptophyllum pictum (L.)Griff.

Synonym	:	Graptophyllum hortense var. rubrum Hassk.
Family	:	ACANTHACEAE
Local name	:	Malayalam-Anchunirappacha
Flowering and fruiting period	:	February
Distribution	.	Native of Polynesia
Distribution in Kerala	:	All Districts
Habitat	:	Grown as garden plant
Uses		Ornamental purpose
Key botanical characters: An erect up to 2.5 (-3) m tall shrub. Leaves shortly petiolate, ovate-elliptic, 10-20 x 5-12 cm, glabrous, purplish or green mottled with yellow, basally attenuate, entire, acuminate-acute. Flowers dark purple or crimson, c. 4.5-5 cm long; pedicels c. 5 mm long; in terminal panicles of cymes; peduncle sparingly puberulous. Bracts and bracteoles inconspicuous. Calyx lobes linear, c. 3-4 mm long. Corolla glabrous externally, glandular-pubescent within, c. 2 cm across, tube narrow cylindrical, c. 1.5 cm long, upper lip erect, lower lip reflexed. Stamens exserted, attached at the throat of tube, filaments c. 5 mm long; staminodes linear, c. 1.5 mm long. Ovary oblong. Style c. 2.5 cm long.