Indian Coleus is a densely hairy perennial herb, with pale blue flowers
arranged in whorls, forming long leafless interrupted spikes. Flowers are
up to 2 cm long, tube bent abruptly downward, longer than the sepal cup.
Flowers are 2-lipped, the upper lip short, turned back, 3-lobed, the lower
much longer, boat-shaped, pointed. Sepal cup is hairy, bell-shaped, with
lanceshaped, prickly-tipped sepals. Bracts are broadly ovate, pointed,
overlapping in bud, soon falling. Leaves are ovate to oblong, blunt,
rounded-toothed, short-stalked, 5-8 cm long. They are arranged in opposite
pairs perpendicular to each other, along a 1-3 ft tall stem. Indian Coleus
is found in the Himalayas, from Uttarakhand to Bhutan, at altitudes of
1200-2400 m. It is also found in Western Ghats. Flowering: August-October.
Medicinal uses: In Ayurvedic medicine Coleus species have been
used to treat heart disease, convulsions, spasmodic pain and painful
urination.
Identification credit: Prashant Awale
Photographed at Chandan-Vandan Fort, Satara, Maharashtra.
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The flower labeled Indian Coleus is ...