Common name: Shade Loving Hemigraphis • Marathi: मोरपंखी Morpankhi
Botanical name: Hemigraphis latebrosa Family: Acanthaceae (Barleria family)
Synonyms: Ruellia labetrosa
Shade Loving Hemigraphis is an annual herb, growing to 10-20 cm high. Slender
stem is covered with soft white hairs. Oppositely arranged ovate narrow
leaves are 3-8 cm long. Flowers occur either in the leaf axils, or in spikes
at the end of stems. The tubular flowers are violetish white in the throat
with streaks of violet. The flower throat is also hairy. Flowers have 5 blue,
rounded petals. Common in grasslands in the Western Ghats. Flowering: November-December.
| Photographed in Lonavala, Maharashtra. |
Identification credit: Pravin Kawale
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