Botanical name: Barleria cuspidata    Family: Acanthaceae (Acanthus family)

Spiny Barleria is a low spiny shrub, growing to 1 m high. Stems and branches are cylindrical and slightly tapering. Oppositely arranged oblong lancelike leaves are 3-6 cm long, pale on the underside, spine-tipped. Slender spines 2-3 cm, occur in leaf axils. Spiny Barleria is somewhat similar to Porcupine Flower, but can be distinguished by its longer thorns, typically an inch long, about the size of the flowers. Porcupine Flower, on the other hand, has thorns about 1 cm long, much smaller than the flowers. Yellow flowers occur solitary in leaf axils, or in terminal spikes. The flowers have a funnel form, with two petals - the upper one is divided into 4 and the lower one is whole. The lower lip is distinctly shorter than the upper one, and is obovate. There are two stamens and a style which is longer than the stamens. Spiny Barleria is endemic to Peninsular India.

Your name:
Your email:
Your comments
The flower labeled Spiny Barleria is ...