FoI
Box-Leaved Barleria
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Box-Leaved Barleria
ative Photo: Ranjini Kamath
Common name: Box-Leaved Barleria • Kannada: ಗಂಡುಚೊಟ್ಟೆಮುಳ್ಳು Gandu chotte mullu, ಕರೀಚುಳ್ಳಿ Karichulli, ಗುಬ್ಬಿಮುಳ್ಳು Gubbi mullu, ತೇರಣ Terana, ಕುರವ Kurava, ಕುರವಕ Kuravaka • Malayalam: caraschulli, karaculli, karicculli • Sanskrit: iksura • Tamil: kattimullu, rosmullippuntu • Telugu: erramullugoranta, nalla mullugoranta, peda mullugoranta
Botanical name: Barleria buxifolia    Family: Acanthaceae (Acanthus family)
Box-Leaved Barleria is a shrub 5-6 ft tall, with strong spines under the leaves. Flowers are purple-blue, produced in whorls towards the upper part of the stem. The species name buxifolia means leaves like Boxwood tree. Leaves are 8-16 mm long, ovate or obovate, tip blunt with a sharp point. Leaves are nearly stalkless, with hairs on both sides scattered, white, short. Spines below the leaves are 6-6 mm long, simple and straight. Flowers arise mostly solitary, purple blue. Bracts are 6-8 mm long, reduced to simple spines. Flower-tube is 1.8–2.5 cm long, slightly widened upwards. Box-Leaved Barleria is endemic to Peninsular India.
Identification credit: U. Senthilkumar Photographed in Bangalore.
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