Botanical name: Asystasia chelonoides    Family: Acanthaceae (Acanthus family)

Turtle Asystasia is a straggling shrub; profusely branched and spreading several metres. Leaves are elliptic-obovate, 8-12 x 3-5 cm, base gradually narrowed, margin entire, tip tapering, lateral nerves 8 pairs; leaf-stalk to 3 cm long. Flowers are borne in usually solitary racemes, with bracts 1.5 cm. Flowers are purple or white, 2.5 cm across, tube 2.5 cm, petals 5. Sepals are 5, lanceshaped, 4 x 1.5 mm, thinly velvet-hairy, pointed. Stamens are 2, anthers 2 mm long. Capsules are thinly velvet-hairy, seeds angular. Turtle Asystasia is native to South India and Sri Lanka. Flowering: November-February.

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The flower labeled Turtle Asystasia is ...