Common name: Duckbill Pimpernel • Assamese: Kausidarya
Botanical name: Lindernia ruellioides Family: Scrophulariaceae (Dog flower family)
Synonyms: Bonnaya reptans
Duckbill Pimpernel is an annual herb, 10-15 cm tall. Stolons to 30 cm.
Stems rarely erect, usually branched, rooting from nodes. Leaf stalk 0.3-2
cm, distally thicker. Leaf blade oblong, elliptic, ovate-oblong, or
circular, 1-4 X 0.6-2 cm, base nearly stem-clasping or broadly
wedge-shaped. Leaf margin above base densely and regularly acute-serrate.
Flowers occur in 2-10 flowered racemes at the end of branches. Flower
stalk is short, distally gradually thicker. Flowers are purple-reddish
white, 1-1.4 cm. Flower tube is 7-9 mm. Lower lip 3-lobed, lobes nearly
equal or middle lobe slightly larger than other lobes; upper lip 2-lobed.
Two fertile stamens peep out of the flower. Stigma flattened. Capsule
conical, 2 time as long as persistent sepals. Seeds brown, ellipsoid.
Flowering: May-September.
| Photographed in Imphal, Manipur. |
Identification credit: Akramul Hoque
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