Botanical name : Astercantha longifolia
Family : Acanthaceae
Morphology
A stout herb growing in wet places; stems numerous,fasciculate, spinous at the nodes.
Leaves narrow,lanceolate, in whorls of 6, the 2 outer leaves of thewhorl the larger.
Flowers in sessile axillary verticals surrounded by rigid spines, bracts leaf-like; bracteoles linear-lanceolate.
calyx4-partiteto the base or nearly so, the upper sepal the broader.
Corolla deeply bilabiabte, the upper lip 2 lobed, the lower 3 lobed.
Stamens 4, didynamous; anthers 2-celled, equal, the cells parallel, glabrous. Ovary 2-celled; ovules 4in each cell; stigma simple, acuminate. Capsule 2-celled, compressed,4-8-seeded at the base.
Seeds hygroscopically white -hairy
Therapeutic uses
The ash prepared by burning the dried plant (kshar) is given withdecoction of Gokshur to treat renal calculi.
The decoction of the root is used to treat jaundice and swelling of the body.
Powder of seed with milk is given to treat the impotency,fewer sperm counts, and general debility.
