Acanthus ilicifolius L.

(Acanthaceae)
Common name: Sea Holly, Holly-leaved Acanthus, Holly Mangrove • Hindi: Hargoza •
Marathi: Marandi, Nivagur • Tamil: Kaludaimulli • Malayalam: Payinachhulli •
Telugu: Alasyakampa • Kannada: Mulluchulli • Bengali: Kentki, Harkuchkanta •
Konkani: Moramdo • Sanskrit: Harikusa Botanical name: Acanthus ilicifolius
Family: Acanthaceae (Ruellia family) These mangrove plants have leaves which
look like the spiny holly leaves. In fact, not all the leaves have the spiny
edges that give them their common name. Leaves growing the deep shade can be
totally spineless. Unlike some mangrove plants, Sea Holly do not exclude salt at
the root level. In fact, their sap is salty and excess salt is secreted through
the leaves, to be removed by rain or wind. Sometimes, the salt can be seen as a
white crystalline layer on the upper surface. The plant produces a cluster of
flowers which appear in neatly organized spikes at branch tips. Flowers have a
single large petal large, showy and light violet. When the pods ripen, they
explode to propel the seeds up to 2m away. The plants flower gregariously.
Flowering: December-May .
Syn : Acanthus doloarius Blanco, Dilivaria iIicifolia Nees Sanskrit name:
Harikasa. Vernacular names: Ben: Hargoza, Harkachkanta; Kan : Holeculli; Mal :
Payinaculli; Mar : Maranda, Maraneli; Ori : Harkamcli; Tam : Kalutai mulli; Tel
: Alei. Trade name: Harkasa. Traditional use: TRIBES OF SUNDARBANS: Root (boiled
in mustard oil): in paralysis of limbs; FOLKS OF GOA: Leaf: as fomentation in
rheumatism and neuralgia. Modern use: Plant: in asthma; Decoction of plant: in
dyspepsia; Leaf and tender shoot: in snake bite; Root: in asthma, paralysis,
leucorrhoea and debility; Leaf: as fomentation in rheumatism, neuralgia and in
snake bite. Phytography : Erect herb; stems up to 1.5 m, in clumps, little
divided, glabrous; leaves shortly petioled, oblong or elliptic, base usually
spinous, toothed or, pinnatifid,rigid, glabrous; spikes 10-40 cm, terminal,
commonly solitary; flowers mostly opposite, bract and bracteoles present, sepals
4, outer 2 elliptic rounded, inner 2 broadly lanceolate, subacute, petals
5,blue, united, 2-lipped, corolla tube short, pubescent within, stamens 4,
didynamous, shorter than coroll_ lip, filaments stout, anthers 1-lobed, bearded,
carpels 2, united, ovary 2-chambered having 2 ovules in chamber, style short,
bifid; capsules shining chestnut-brown, ellipsoid, compressed, 0.6-0.8 cm long;
testa white, very lax. Phenology: Flowering and Fruiting: almost throughout the
year. Distribution: Mangroves of Indian peninsula; Sri Lanka, Bangladesh,
Pakistan and the adjoining areas. Ecology and cultivation: Commonly grown on the
river banks, tidal canal sides, low swampy areas in the mangrove forests and its
vicinity; wild. Chemical contents: Plant: acanthicifoline, oleanolic acid,
β-sitosterol, lupeol, quercetin and its glucopyranoside, trigonellin; Root:
saponin, glycoside of 3α-OH-lup- 20(29) -ene. TOP