Higher classification Ruellia | Genus Ruellia Rank Species | |
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Similar Ruellia, Acanthaceae, Ruellia simplex, Justicia, Barleria cristata | ||
Ruellia tuberosa, also known as minnieroot, fever root, snapdragon root and sheep potato (Thai: ต้อยติ่ง), is a species of flowering plant in the Acanthaceae family. Its native range is in Central America but presently it has become naturalized in many countries of tropical South and Southeast Asia.
Some butterfly species, like the lemon pansy (Junonia lemonias) and the mangrove buckeye (Junonia genoveva), feed on the leaves of Ruellia tuberosa.
Description and properties
It is a small biennial plant with thick fusiform tuberous roots and striking funnel-shaped violet-colored flowers. Its fruit is a 2 cm long sessile capsule containing about 20 seeds. Some of the names of the plant such as popping pod, duppy gun and cracker plant come from the fact that children like to play with the dry pods that pop when rubbed with spit or water.
Ruellia tuberosa reaches an average height of about 25 cm in moist and shady environments. It grows, however, preferably in grasslands and roadsides —often as a weed in cultivated fields—, and also in xerophile and ruderal habitats.
In folk medicine and Ayurvedic medicine it has been used as a diuretic, anti-diabetic, antipyretic, analgesic, antihypertensive, gastroprotective, and to treat gonorrhea. It is also used as a natural dye for textiles.
