Blue Snakeweed is a branched erect herbaceous plant
that grows up to 1.5 m tall. Young shoot, leaf-stalks and leaves
towards the base velvet-hairy. Leaves 4-8 x 2-5 cm, elliptic-ovate,
pointed at tip, sawtoothed on margins, hairless on both sides. Spikes
at branch-ends, cylindric, about 0.3 cm diameter, 20-40 cm long. Bracts
are 5-7 mm long, linear lanceshaped, fringed with hairs on margins.
Calyx is tubular, narrow, about 0.5 cm long; sepals 5, minute. Flower
tube is about 5 mm long, slightly curved, 5-lobed; petals blue. Stamens
are 2, not protruding, staminodes 2. Capsule is 4-5 mm long, cylindric;
calyx tube persistent. Capsule spilts into two 1-seeded pyrenes. Blue
Snakeweed is found throughout the Tropical world. Flowering:
September-December.
Identification credit: Gurumurthi Hegde
Photographed in Babasaheb Ambedkar Udyan, Powai, Mumbai.
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The flower labeled Blue Snakeweed is ...