Friday, April 16, 2010

Red Nongmangkha

Common name: Red Nongmangkha • Manipuri: নোঙমাঙখা অঙাঙবা Nongmangkha angangba 
Botanical name: Phlogacanthus pubinervius    Family: Acanthaceae (Ruellia family)

Red Nongmangkha is an evergreen shrub which is particularly showy in spring with its dense upright spikes of of brick-red, tubular flowers. The shrub grows up to 3 m tall, with 4-angled, grey branches, and drooping leaves. Leaves are inverted lance-shaped, 15-25 cm long, with a base gradually narrowing into the leaf-stalk. Flowers are braod-tubular, curved, 2-2.5 cm long, 2-lipped, with 5 nearly equal petals. Stamens protrude out of the flowers. Sepals are 6-8 mm long, bristly haired, bracts 6-12 mm long. Bracts are prominent when the flowers are in bud. Fruit is a cylindrical 4-angled capsule, to 4 cm long. Red Nongmangkha is found in forests, at altitudes of 200-1700 m, from U.P. to Burma. Flowering: February-March.

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