Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis

Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis (Roxb. ex Hardw.) Mabb., (Syn: Justicia thyrsiformis Roxb. ex Hardw.; Justicia thyrsiflorus Roxb; Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus (Roxb.) Nees) as per Karthikeyan et al. (2009);
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Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus (Roxb.) Nees, N. Wallich, Pl. asiat. rar. 3:99. 1832 (Syn: (≡) Justicia thyrsiflora Roxb. (basionym)) as per GRIN;
.
Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis (Roxb. Ex Hardw.) D/J. Mabberley, ; Taxon 29: 606 (1980). (syn: Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus (Roxb.) Nees) as per  Annotated checklist of Flowering plants of Nepal;
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As per efi thread :
Further pl. see, Phlogacanthus pubinervius T. Anderson in FOC with an illustration & Floristic Diversity of Assam: Study of Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary By Bora, Yogendra Kumar (2003).
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Attaching two images of Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus. This is very common at Tezpur (Assam). It is known as TITA BAHAK in Assam. The plant is supposed to have medicinal properties.
To me it appears like Red Nongmangkha (Phlogacanthus pubinervis) rather than Nongmangkha (Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus), if the id at FOI is correct.

I think you are correct. The plant must be Phlogocanthus pubinervious.

Are these two different plants ? First picture looks like Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus only as per discussions in this efi thread.

No sir. They are the same plant.


Wild Plants For ID with Red Stalks : Uttarakhand : 130413 : AK-3 : Attachments (4). 11 posts by 5 authors.
Wild plants with red stalks seen near the Jim Corbett Waterfall.
Sorry for the bad pictures due to low light and plants being on the other side of the water.
Id please.

To me this appeared like Phlogacanthus sp.

Looks like Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus to me!!

Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis (Acanthaceae).

Adding one more picture which was taken at the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens, Bangalore in March.
I believe it to be the same.
Could you kindly confirm?

To m it looks different but not known to me.

Thanks for the feedback.
I came across … picture of the same identified same as my red stalk pictures.
Just wanted to confirm.

To me it appears like Red Nongmangkha (Phlogacanthus pubinervis) rather than Nongmangkha (Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus), if the id at FOI is correct.

I think it is Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus only as per discussions in this efi thread

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Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis from Uttarakhand: May 2014 DSR_8 : 2 posts by 2 authors. 2 images.
Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis (Roxb. ex Hardw.) Mabb. (Acanthaceae) is a frequent shrub in outer Himalayan hills. It produces beautiful inflorescence in March-April.
Shot near Jeolikot, Uttarakhand.

Thanks, … for all your wonderful posts.

To me it appears like Red Nongmangkha (Phlogacanthus pubinervis) rather than Nongmangkha (Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus), if the id at FOI is correct.

P. pubinervis is known from Eastern Himalaya and NE India only (Karthikeyan et al. 2009). Further, Checklist of Flowering Plants of Uttarakhand by Uniyal et al. (2007) have also not mentioned P. pubinervis from Uttarakhand. It lists only two species P.thyrsiformis and P.lambertii in Uttarakhand.
Specimens in Kew of these species:
and P.pubinervis:

Thanks a lot, … After going through these, I now somehow feel that images at FOI are wrongly placed and I will request … to pl. look into it & correct them. Further pl. see, Phlogacanthus pubinervius T. Anderson in FOC with an illustration & Floristic Diversity of Assam: Study of Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary By Bora, Yogendra Kumar (2003).

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Flower for Id – ID22032014SH2 : Attachments (1). 3 posts by 3 authors.

Flower for Id pl.
Location -Manas National Park,Guwahati.
Date- 04.03.2014
Habitat -Wild

It looks like Odontonema strictum

Odontonema– some cultivated species in India & eFI.
efi page on Odontonema tubaeforme (Cultivated) (syn. Odontonema strictum)

Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis, Acanthaceae to me

Thanks, …, To me it appears like Red Nongmangkha (Phlogacanthus pubinervis) rather than Nongmangkha (Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus), if the id at FOI is correct.

I think it is Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus only as per discussions in this efi thread

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Phlogacanthus pubinervius : 4 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (2)- one of 2 Mb.
Phlogacanthus pubinervius T.Anderson, An Enumeration of the Indian Species of Acanthacé in J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 9: 508 (1867).

I thought of contributing this from Kaladungi which is a part of Corbett Tiger Reserve. Being pollinated (most probably) by birds and that too more than one species makes this an ecologically important species.
For those who have not noticed, it has glands even on the floral parts, my vague guess is that is meant to repel insects.
So also wanted to inform that this plant is also available in Western Himalaya too in the foot hills.

Will you pl. reconsider your Id in view of discussions at  efi thread ?

Ok sir then this should be Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis.

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Wild flower from Phuentsholing-Bhutan – efloraofindia | Google Groups : 13 posts by 8 authors. Attachments (3)

I am new in this group, and would love to share the images of wild plants that I have taken during my trips to hills and forests of India. I have little knowledge about wild plants, and can hardly remember the scientific names of the various species. But i am eager to know about the wild flora of our country and that’s why I have joined this group today. I am interested in gaining knowledge on plants of India.
Sharing with you all the images of a wild flower that i found at Phuentsholing (Bhutan) in the foothills of the Himalayas. The flowers were regularly visited by birds like Spangled drongos and Silver eared Mesias, as can be seen in the second and third pics respectively. These birds fed on the nectar from the flowers and probably helped in pollination.
Can someone please give the Id and details of the plant?
the pic was taken on 7th.March,2010.

Phlogacanthus pubinervius from the family Acanthaceae.

This plant is also found in NE India. Phlogacanthus pubinervius
http://www.flowersofindia.Red%20Nongmangkha.html

Nice catch of the birds as well as the flowers…

First time I am seeing a big bird feeding on flower nectar.  The bird in picture is drongo.  In Marathi we call it  Kothwal or gate keeper.

The bird in the pic is Spangled Drongo to be precise, (Dicrurus bracteatus). They do feed on nectar sometimes, otherwise they prefer insects.

But the birds in Foto 2 and Foto 3 look different to me. The tail is different. or am I watching wrong?

…, the bird in picture 2 is Drongo.  Any body please identify the bird in picture 3.

the birds in the second and third pics are certainly different….
the second bird is a Spangled drongo, and the bird in 3rd pic is a Silver-eared Mesia.
The latter is actually a kind of colourful babbler found in the foothills of the Himalayas, and rarely seen by birders…..it moves in small flocks feeding on nectar and insects. They play an important role in pollination.
have a nice time…

It does not match with Phlogacanthus pubinervius as suggested earlier by … due to the following:
http://apps.kew.org/herbcat/getImage.do?imageBarcode=K000950012

Phlogacanthus pubinervius T. Anderson in FOC with an illustration
It think it’s Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis as per images therein.
The Red Nongmangkha (Phlogacanthus pubinervius) 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.
The bird feeding on nectar is a Silver-eared Mesia.
Pic taken near Phuntsholing…Bhutan. March 2010.

Wow!! I added a pic of these from near Corbet!!

This plant was posted by you previously and I identified it.

It does not match with Phlogacanthus pubinervius as suggested earlier by … due to the following:
http://apps.kew.org/herbcat/getImage.do?imageBarcode=K000950012

Phlogacanthus pubinervius T. Anderson in FOC with an illustration
It think it’s Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis as per images therein.
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ACANTHACEAE FORTNIGHT:: Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus ? from Renuka Ji:: NS MARCH 50/50 : 4 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (5)
This high herb with long, dark green, glossy leaves was recorded from Renuka Ji, Himachal Pradesh..
Is this Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus ?

To me it seems to be Phlogacanthus pubinervius.
Please refer FLOWERS OF THE HIMALAYA, Polulin and Stainton (Plate 1091)

Yes according to the description given in the mail, it is Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus. If there would have been a photograph of the whole plant then it would have been more easy to identify it.

It appears to be Phlogacanthus pubinervius as suggested by … due to the following:
http://apps.kew.org/herbcat/getImage.do?imageBarcode=K000950012
I think I have goofed up again.
It may be Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis only as the inflorescences is not axiliary.
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Validation Please…. Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus:
During my recent visit to Renuka Ji (Himachal Pradesh) on an
educational tour, I came across this plant after a long gap. Though it was near the end of its flowering season, I could somehow manage to get its flowers. Pictures were taken from the periphery of Renuka Lake on April 22, 2011.
As per my identification this is Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus Nees in Wall., Pl. As. Rar. 3: 99, 1832; Syn. Justicia thyrsiflora Roxb., Fl. Ind. 1: 114. Kindly validate the id.

Why not, Phlogacanthus pubinervis?

To me also it appears like Red Nongmangkha (Phlogacanthus pubinervis) rather than Nongmangkha (Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus), if the id at FOI is correct.

To me it seems to be Phlogocanthus pubinervius. Please refer FLOWERS OF THE HIMALAYA, by Oleg Polunin and Adam Stainton( Plate-99 )

I think it is Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus only as per discussions in this efi thread

I am not a botanist. I observe happenings in nature and try to record those in my own way. My basis of identification is plates from different books and inputs from botanist friends.
In this particular case my reference is FLOWERS OF THE HIMALAYA by Oleg Polunin and Adam Stainton. Phlogacanthus pubinervius is described at page no-315. The description is as under, (Plate-99)
Uttar Pradesh to Bhutan. North India. Burma. 200-1700m. Forests. Feb-Mar.
Showy in early spring with its dense cylindrical spikes of brick-red velvety, 2-lipped tubular flowers 8-25 cm long, and with conspicuous bracts in bud. An evergreen hairless shrub to 3 m, with 4-angled grey branches, and with drooping leaves with oblanceolate blades 15-25 cm, narrowed to a stalk. Corolla broad-tubular, curved, 2-2.5 cm, 2-lipped with 5 nearly equal lobes, stamens exserted; calyx-lobes 6-8 mm, bristly-haired; bracts 6-12 mm long. Capsule cylindrical 4-angled, hairless, to 4 cm; seeds disc-like, finely hairy.

It appears to be Phlogacanthus pubinervius as suggested by … due to the following:
http://apps.kew.org/herbcat/getImage.do?imageBarcode=K000950012

It is Phlogacanthus pubinervius.
Plate-99 (1091), FLOWERS OF THE HIMALAYA by Oleg Polunin and Adam Stainton refers.

I think I have goofed up again.
It may be Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis only as the inflorescences is not axiliary.

Yes sir… It is Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis…not P. pubinervius

Thanks a lot …

All the FLORAS on North West Himalaya have mentioned only Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus.
But, why there some confusion in the photographs.
http://www.academicjournals.org/journal/AJAR/article-full-text-pdf/1A120D045769
http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Nongmangkha.html
http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Red%20Nongmangkha.html

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Phlogacanthus For ID : Jim Corbett,Uttarakhand : 170614 : AK-28 : 3 posts by 2 authors.
Phlogacanthus pods seen deep inside the forest area of Sitabani.

Missed the flowering.
Pictures taken on 17/5/14.
Species id please.

Phlogacanthus – species in India & eFI with details & some keys

Plant ID for link
Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis (Roxb. ex Hardw.) Mabb.

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Correct name of Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus at FOI should be Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis : 1 post by 1 author.
Correct name of Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus at FOI should be Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis. Pl. see detailed discussions at Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis
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Phlogacanthus ATJUNE2016/51 : 8 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (4)

Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis or Phlogacanthus pubinervius ???
Kindly help in concluding Garden of Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (H.P.) April 2015
Going through the beautiful pages of Phlogacanthus spp., it should be Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis. Considering FOI and a review article
(given below), it should be Phlogacanthus pubinervius.
http://www.academicjournals.org/journal/AJAR/article-full-text-pdf/1A120D045769

Thanks, …, There has been a lot of discussions in efi. Final comparative images of different species can be seen at ‎Phlogacanthus after all those discussions.
I think your pictures should be of Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis (Roxb. ex Hardw.) Mabb. only.

Thank you for the links, …  I am fully convinced. Confusion arose due to photographs posted on Flowers of India.

The photo of Phlogacanthus species attached in the file having red colour flower is Phlogacanthus pubinervius.

Thanks, …, There has been a lot of discussions in efloraofindia. Final comparative images of different species can be seen at ‎Phlogacanthus after all those discussions.
I think … pictures should be of Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis (Roxb. ex Hardw.) Mabb. only.

Images at FOI has also been corrected.

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Phlogacanthus sp-2 from Cherapunjee- PKA7 : 5 posts by 4 authors. Attachments (5)- around 350 kb each.

This shrub was also seen at Cherapunjee.
Phlogacanthus Sp ?
Family: Acanthaceae
Requesting ID

Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis (Roxb. ex Hardw.) Mabb. ??

May be Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus


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Phlogacanthus sp from Cherapunjee- PKA6 : 4 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (4)- around 400 kb each.
This shrub was seen at Cherapunjee.
Could this be Phlogacanthus parviflorus ?
Family: Acanthaceae

Looks matching.

Does not match with specimens of Phlogacanthus parviflorus in GBIF
It is most likely to be Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis only as per details and images herein.

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Phlogacanthus parviflorus in FOI : 3 posts by 2 authors.
Phlogacanthus parviflorus in FOI does not match with specimens in GBIF
It is most likely to be Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis only, as per images and details herein.
Thank you …, You are right. The specimen at FOI doesn’t agree with the images of Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis on GBIF, particularly the details of flower petals. At one time I had searched the web for images of this species, but somehow missed these GBIF images. However, I am quite sure this plant is not  Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis. As I had mentioned in an earlier thread, these two are known to be different plants in Manipur – Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis has well used medicinal properties, whereas the other plant has none. J.R.I. Wood also thought it is a different plant, but was unable to identify it. For the time being I will treat it as an unexplained plant.
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Re: PHLOGACANTHUS THYRSIFLORUS : 2 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (1)
Attaching a collage of Phlogocanthus thyrsiflorus. (TITA BAHAK in Assam).
First time I saw this plant at Tezpur. They use it as traditional medicine. I saw the plant at Binnaguri also. Today I entered a bamboo grove and found the area full of this plant. But I don’t think they will last long.
it seems its a very important possible antibacterial anti cancer therapeutic
I ham copy pasting a sentence from the abstract of this following paper, link follows
i quote:” The most important of these bioactive constituents present in plants are alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds which were determined by doing the phytochemical tests of the extract, and it was responsible for antibacterial activity. Antibacterial activity was studied by disc diffusion method. ” end quote
‘url:
if you can go back. bring a person with you and collect seeds, it may be very useful. before concrete jungle takes over
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Flower for Id- 24032019SH2 : 8 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (1)
Flower for id pl.
Location – Latpanchar (Near Darjeeling), West Bengal
Date – March 2019
Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus i think.
nice paper: by Barnali Dutta and SK Borthakur,
Microscopical Study of Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus Nees (Acanthaceae):
A Well Known Medicinal Shrub
Barnali Dutta* and SK Borthakur
Department of Botany, Gauhati University, Guwahati- 781014, Assam, India
Int. J. Chem. and LifeSci., 2014, 3 (07), 1347-1352
Oh I forgot  to tell you, in Bengal we call it lalbasak

was this a single plant or a stand of it?

It was in bushes spread all over.
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Flower for Id -ID21052019SH3 : 3 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (1)
Flower for id pl. Is it Phlogacanthus ?
Location – Latpanchar (Near Darjeeling), West Bengal
Date – March 2019
Yes, …, Pl. check with images at

Thanks …

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PHLOGACANTHUS THYRSIFLORUS : 2 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (2)
Attaching images of Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus (TITAPHUL/ TITABAHAK in Assam)

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Fwd: Phlogacanthus of NE India : (Mixed thread): 8 posts by 2 authors. 4 correct images as above

Thanks for reminding about this issue once again. I have been looking at it, and the issue appears to be complex to me.
Firstly, I agree that Polunin & Stainton wrongly identified (probably) Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus, as P. pubinervius.
Secondly, there seem to be two different plants in Manipur, locally considered to be different. I am atatching pictures of them as Phlogacanthus-A and Phlogacanthus-B.
These two look different to me because
1. the inside of the  flower in Phlogacanthus-B appears to be much more hairy, compared to Phlogacanthus-A.
2. The flower shapes look different to me, although can’t be too sure about that
3. See where the sepals are in the fully open flowers. Look at the bottom flowers in Phlogacanthus-B-2 for example, in comparison to Phlogcanthus-A-1 and A-3.
Description of P. thyrsiflorus in Flora of Brit. India says that bracts are about as long as sepals, not longer. In the description of P. thyrsiformis in some papers, the bracts are mentioned to be much longer than sepals. Makes me wonder if these two are different plants. To me, my Phlogacanthus-A appears to agree with the herbarium image of Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus at Kew:
http://apps.kew.org/herbcat/getImage.do?imageBarcode=K000950020
but not my Phlogacanthus-B.
To compound the confusion, some papers seems to consider  P. thyrsiformis and P. thyrsiflorus as two different plant. I attach one such paper, where P. thyrsiformis is described as the plant with brick-red flowers, which agrees with my Phlogacanthus-B.
I will be happy to have this issue resolved. This discussion which already happened at efloraofindia doesn’t throw any light on this.

Thanks, …

I have a few points to say in this regard:
1. Pictures like A & B has been posted from Uttarakhand & Himachal from where only Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis (all threads herein) has been reported.
2. You can see the list of species found in India as per latest literature at Phlogacanthus. Only P. thyrsiformis (Roxb. ex Hardw.) Mabb. (
Karthikeyan et al. (2009)) is found. Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus should thus be a syn.
May be experts like … (who is working on Phlogacanthus), …  can give more inputs in the matter.

I may agree that P. thyrsiformis and P. thyrsiflorus might be the same species, although clear mention of that I could not find,
The main problem is that the plant A and B are treated differently by people in Manipur. A (orange one) is supposed to have medicinal qualities, and is very regularly used in home remedies, B (the red one) is not used for this purpose. This all indicates that they might be different species. Opinion of experts on this genus might help.

Here is response from JRI Wood who works on Acanthaceae, including Strobilanthes, and has published on Phlogacanthus too:

——————–
Thanks for your enquiry.
Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus and P. thyrsiformis are the same species. The correct name is Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis.
I think Phlogacanthus A (the orange-flowered one) is P. thysiformis and Phlogacanthus B is P. vitellinus (P. asperulus in Flora of British India). It is difficult to be completely sure but I will have a look at the specimens when I am at Kew on Friday next week. You are right about the distinctive character of P. pubinervius. I will see if I can find a Polunin specimen to check this too.

Thanks, … This is a very good feedback.

Did you get any more feedback in the matter pl. ?

Here is his last response:
——————
…. Phlogacanthus (and Acanthaceae) are not very easy to identify without specimens (not so easy with specimens!). Here I have access only to old 19th century specimens and it is not easy to match up photos with specimens. I can do north and north eastern Indian Strobilanthes fairly well from photos but other genera can be difficult!

I will get back to you if I have further thoughts.

These two Phlogacanthus species from Manipur had confused me for a long time. Even Dr. John Wood had not been able to help in this matter. Now in the light of the following paper (by M. Sawmliana et al.):
the Phlogacanthus-A attached by me is Phlogacanthus jenkinsii. The Phlogacanthus-B attached by me (the one with reddish flowers) is the real Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis. This has been confirmed by one of the authors of this paper, Dr. Sudhansu Sekhar Dash.

.

References:

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