Andrographis theniensis : New Plant Species
A new plant species has been discovered in Theni district of Tamil Nadu in the Western Ghats by a research student from Wanaparthy.
- Andrographis theniensis is a plant, which was named ‘Andrographis theniensis’ after the location (Theni).
- The new plant resembles Andrographis megamalayana.
- It has glabrous leaves and stems, a nine-veined lower lip, pale yellowish sparse hair on the middle lobe of the lower lip and yellow anther.
- Andrographis is a tropical Asian genus native to Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the West Himalaya.
- However, a majority of Andrographis taxa are distributed in southern India and Sri Lanka, particularly in Western and Eastern Ghats.
- There are nearly 25 Andrographis species in India.
- This genus is traditionally used to treat various ailments such as cold, cough, fever, jaundice, diarrhoea, cardiovascular and hepatic diseases in both codified and non-codified medicinal systems.
