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Asystasia gangetica (L.) Anders.

Synonyms	:	Asystasia gangetica subsp. gangetica
Family	:	Acanthaceae
Local Name	:	English - Chinese violet Malayalam – Upputhali,Valli-upu-dali
Flowering and Fruiting Period	:	September-December
Distribution	:	Peninsular India, Sri Lanka, Arabia and Africa
Distribution  in Kerala	:	All Districts
Habitat	:	Degraded forest areas, also in the plains
Uses	:	Powdered roots are considered analgesic and used in treating stomach-ache and snakebites. A leaf decoction is used as analgesic and to treat epilepsy and urethral discharge.
Key Botanical Characters: Procumbent, perennial herbs, 30-80 cm long; stem branched, quandrangualr, scandent; 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, pale and tomentose beneath; lateral veins 6- 8 pairs; petiole 1-2 cm long, densely adpressedpuberulent. 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.