Himalayan ruellia
Phaulopsis imbricata

Family: Acanthaceae

What it is like

A herb. It has an unpleasant smell. It grows 60 cm high. The leaves are opposite and usually one leaf of the pair is larger than the other. The leaf stalks are 4 cm long. The leaves are 8 cm long by 5 cm wide. They have unequal sides at the base. The flowering groups are dense and 7 cm long by 2 cm wide. There are 3 flowers with each bract. They are white. The fruit is dry and flattened.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in forests and on the edges of woodlands.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Eswatini, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, West Africa, Zambia

How it is used for food

The young leaves are eaten as a vegetable.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Phaulopsis longifolia; Phaulopsis parviflora Willd.; Ruellia imbricata Forssk.;