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Basanga

Local Name	:	Basanga
Botanical Name	:	Justicia adhatoda L.
Common Name	:	Malabar nut
Family	:	Acanthaceae
Distribution	:	It is native to the Indian subcontinent and is found growing naturally as well as cultivated in various regions of India. It has been introduced and cultivated in Southeast Asia, East Asia, Africa, Middle East, Americas, Australia etc.
Habit	:	Shrub
Short Description	:	It is a tropical shrub, recognized for its lance-shaped leaves and spikes of tubular white to purple flowers. It is valued in traditional medicine for its respiratory benefits and as a natural remedy for coughs and colds.

Descriptions

It is a perennial shrub with lanceolate leaves arranged opposite each other along the stem. The leaves are dark green and have prominent veins. Its flowers are tubular and white with purple markings, arranged in dense spikes at the ends of branches. The fruit is a capsule containing small seeds.

Flowering & Fruiting Period

March - September

Use(s)

It is primarily used in traditional medicine to treat respiratory ailments such as asthma, bronchitis, cough, and cold.