Statue of Unity – Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat Rain Forest Ektanagar

Nicoteba betonica

Syn. Adhatoda betonica

IUCN Red List Not Evaluated (NE)

Local name

  • Squirrel Tail (English)
  • Gulabi Aradusi (Gujarati)
  • Hadpat (Hindi)

Shrub type

Evergreen Deciduous
Family: Acanthaceae
2m

Indicated uses

Medicinal Edible Ornamental Avenue Other

Flowering & fruiting

Flowering Fruiting

Key characters

Nicoteba betonica bark

Bark

Stem herbaceous to somewhat woody toward the base; young stems green and hairy, becoming brownish with age.

Nicoteba betonica leaves

Leaves

Simple, entire, opposite, ovate to elliptic, up to 22 cm long and 12 cm wide.

Nicoteba betonica flower

Flower

Inflorescences consist of green-striped cream to pale green (sometimes with a tinge of pink) bracts, upright, compact, with flowers aging from white to violet; corolla two-lipped, mauve, with a white spot on the lower lip.

Nicoteba betonica fruit / seeds

Fruit / Seeds

A pubescent capsule; seeds spinulose.

Nicoteba betonica

Did you know?

In cattle-keeping communities of Uganda, its leaves have traditionally been boiled into a drink given to lactating cows, believed to support or increase milk production.

Distribution

World map showing distribution

Tropical & S. Africa, Indian Subcontinent to Myanmar.