Pogostemon speciosus - Bottle-Brush Shrub-Mint

Bottle-Brush Shrub-Mint is a shrub remarkable for the long stamens which project 8 mm, and give a bottle-brush-like appearance to the flower-spike. Stem is 2-3 feet, woody; upper parts, leaf-stalks, and spikes hairy. Leaf-stalks are 2.5-5 cm, leaves 2.5-7.5 cm long and nearly as broad, ovate, with rounded toothed margin and heart-shaped or nearly horizontal base; sparingly hairy on the upper side and on the veins of the lower side. Flowers are borne in showy spikes at branch-ends, 7-15 cm. Flowers are nearly stalkless, 6 mm; tube narrow 2-3 mm, broadening above into four nearly equal petals. Stamens are twice as long. Sepal-cup tube is 4 mm, with teeth more fringed with fine hairs. Bottle-Brush Shrub-Mint is found in South India, in shady and cool places, on the outskirts of Sholas, Nilgiris in and near Ootacamund, also Anamalais.