Glaucous Dog-Flower is an erect, hairless herb growing
up to 30 cm high. Flowers are borne in leaf-axils, on flower-stalks as
long as the leaf-stalk. Flowers are up to 1.2 cm long, white with
purple veins. Stamens 2, epipetalous; anthers basifixed, two lobed,
longitudinally splitting. Sepal-cup is 5-partite; upper segment broadly
ovate, almost heart-shaped, pointed; rest lanceshaped. Ovary superior
with axile placentation; stigma bifid. Leaves are very much variable in
size and shape, basal one ovate or obovate, becoming spoon-shaped in
upper portions, pointed, often apiculate, entire, hairless or sparsely
clothed on both sides with very minute hairs, base usually narrowed
into a short leaf-stalk, somewhat fleshy. Fruit is a spherical capsule,
2-celled oblique, deflexed when mature splitting by wall splitting.
Glaucous Dog-Flower is found in E. Arabian Peninsula, Iran to NW India. Medicinal uses: The herb is credited with
tonic, diuretic, antipyretic properties and useful
in typhoid and
diabetes. The powdered leaves and fruits are sold as a drug. It is
prescribed by Vaids (native practitioners)
in typhoid fever.
Identification credit: Sarman Ratiya
Photographed in Anjar, Kutch, Gujarat.
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The flower labeled Glaucous Dog-Flower is ...