Nilambori or Blue fox tail, Ecbolium viride

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Nilambori or Blue fox tail (Ecbolium viride, family: Acanthaceae) is a perennial woody herb or undershrub with leafy bracts and spectacular bluish flower, attaining a height of 1 m. The branches of the erect herb is quadrangular. It is found found in Tropical Asia and Africa. In Bangladesh it is found in village thickets and Sal forests.

Other names: Nil jhinti, Nil Kata, Nilkontho (Bang); Turquoise crossandra (Eng).

Leaves are shiny green, lanceolate, 10-15 cm long and 5-7 cm wide, edge undulated (at first glance it looks toothed), opposite, almost sessile, elongated and acute at the end. Bracts are green-colored, arranged in upright and compact spike.

Flowers are light blue, in terminnal or axillary inflorescence. Upper lip of the showy flower is linear, shortly bilobed and erect, lower one is 3-lobed, middle one is broader. Corolla tube is whitish blue, narrow and very long. Flowering and fruiting occur round the year. Fruit is a 2-seeded capsule. 

The medicinal plant is used in menstrual disorder, jaundice, inflammatory disease, rheumatism etc. It is propagated by seeds. It grows well in partial shade. 

Synonyms: Justicia rotundifolia, Justicia viridis 

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