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Red Ivy
Strobilanthes alternata
Strobilanthes alternata (synonym Hemigraphis alternata), may be known as red ivy, red-flame ivy, or waffle plant, is a member of the family Acanthaceae native to Java. It is a prostrate plant with purple colored leaves.
From the article Strobilanthes alternata on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), quoted section by section
Description
Strobilanthes alternata is a herbaceous plant that reaches approximately 30 cm (12 in) in length. The stems of the plant are prostrate and purplish, especially at the nodes. The leaves, which are covered in fine hairs, are arranged oppositely on the stem with one leaf noticeably larger than its counterpart. The leaf blades are dark green on the top face and are lighter green or purplish on the lower face. Commonly known as the Cemetery plant, Purple waffle plant, or Murikooti, it is referred to in Ayurvedic medicine as Vranaropani, which translates to "wound healer". In Kerala, India, the local name for this herb is Muriyan pacha, a name related to belief in its wound-healing properties. This plant is native to the tropical regions of the globe especially tropical Malaysia and South East Asia. This natural herb grows in plenty across India, China, Indonesia, and Japan
At the table
In Indonesia, Strobilanthes alternata is used to promote urination, check and heal hemorrhages, stop dysentery, and treat venereal diseases. The plant is popular in the United States and rarely the United Kingdom to use in hanging baskets for gardens.The botanical name of Red flame ivy is Hemigraphis colorata Blume.
Wikipedia: “Uses”
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
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In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Strobilanthes alternata in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 867258.