Andrographis echioides - False Waterwillow
❏ Binomial Name : Andrographis echioides (L.) Nees.
❏ Synonym : Neesiella echioides,Indoneesiella echioides,Justicia echioides, Indoneesiella echioides
❏ Family : Acanthaceae
❏ Common Name : False Waterwillow
❏ Tamil Name : Gopuram Tangi
❏ IUCN status: Not Evaluated
Andrographis echioides Botanical Description
Erect herbs, 10-50 cm high. Whole plant villous. Leaves opposite decussate, 3-5 x 0.6-1.8 cm, elliptic oblong, obtuse to round at apex, attenuate at base. Inflorescence axillary, short unilateral racemes, simple or 1-2 branched, as long as or shorter than leaves. Calyx deeply 5-lobed; lobes 0.8-1 cm long, linear. Corolla tube 0.8-1 cm long, white, 2-lipped; lip with violet blotches; upper lip 2-lobed, 0.6-0.8 cm long, lower c. 0.8 cm long, 3-lobed. Stamens 2; filaments broad, hairy at base; anthers 2-celled. Style slender; stigma 2-fid. Capsules 0.8-1.2 cm long, 0.25-0.3 cm wide, compressed, broadened towards tip, attenuate at base, sparsely hairy towards tip. Seeds 0.15-0.2 cm across, black, pitted without; retinacula spiny. Fl. &Fr.: April-July