Red Butterfly Wing is a slender, erect,
sparingly-branched perennial herb with stems that can become more or
less woody, It can grow 2-4 ft tall. It is grown as an ornamental,
valued especially for its attractive leaves that look somewhat like a
butterfly. They tend to fold downward at night, and open up during
the day, which is the origin of its species name vespertilionis.
Inflorescences are 5-15 cm, velvet-heary. Flower-stalks are 2-4 mm,
gray velvet-hairy. Sepal-cup is half-hyaline, accrescent, 0.8-1.2 cm,
netveined veined, velvet-hairy; sepals triangular, about as long as
tube, upper 2 slightly fused. Flowers are yellowish white, not
protruding, about 6 mm. Red Butterfly Wing is native to East Asia,
cultivated and naturalized in parts of India.
Medicinal uses: The plant is harvested from
the wild for local use as a medicine.
Identification credit: Tabish
Photographed in cultivation in Gangajal Nursery, Nasik.
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The flower labeled Red Butterfly Wing is ...