Botanical name: Lepidagathis ananthapuramensis    Family: Acanthaceae (Acanthus family)

Anantapura Scaly-Ball is a newly discovered (2020) species from Kerala, which can be identified in the field with its erect (rarely spreading) habit, elongated, lax, and one-sides spikes. A similar plant Lepidagathis keralensis grows prostrate. It is a perennial herb, erect or prostrate, up to 80 cm high. Stems are branching and hairy, and rootstock is woody. Leaves are ovate-lanceshaped, velvet-hairy, with 3-6 pairs of veins. Flowers are borne in spikes up to 10 cm high, bearing up to 30 flowers. Flowers are purple, hairy at the base and laterial side. Ovules are four. Fruits are conical shaped, 1-4 seeded, seeds hairy. At present Anantapura Scaly-Ball is known only from Ananthapuram, Kasod, Kerala. Flowering: July-March.

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The flower labeled Anantapura Scaly-Ball is ...