Achyranthes aspera L.
Common Name : Devil’s horsewhip
Family : Amaranthaceae

HABIT |
AN ERECT OR PROCUMBENT, ANNUAL OR PERENNIAL HERB WITH SPREADING BRANCHES, USUALLY UP TO 1M TALL, OFTEN WITH A WOODY BASE. |
STEMS |
ANGULAR, RIBBED, PUBESCENT, SIMPLE ORBRANCHED FROM THE BASE, OFTEN REDDISHPURPLISH TINGED. |
LEAVES |
OPPOSITE, THICK, OVATE ELLIPTIC OR OBOVATEROUNDED, BUT VARIABLE IN SHAPE AND SIZE, 4-12 CM LONG AND UP TO 8 CM WIDE, VELVETYTOMENTOSE. |
FLOWERS |
GREENISH-WHITE, NUMEROUS, IN AXILLARY OR TERMINAL SPIKES UP TO 75 CM LONG; BRACTS MEMBRANOUS, OBLONG, ENCLOSED IN THE HARDENED PARIANTH. |
FRUITS |
UTRICLE, OBLONG-CYLINDRIC, TRUNCATE AT APEX, ROUNDED AT BASE. |
SEEDS |
REDDISH-BROWN, SUB CYLINDRICAL. |