Common Name: Camel bush. Tamil Name: Kalutaikkali
Camel bush is a hispid sub-shrub seen on deciduous forest edges of Western Ghats. It grows to a height of about one meter, the plant has a sand-paper like feel: especially on the surface of leafs. The leaves are near sessile and arranged in an alternate manner. The leaf length is highly variable: between 5-8 cm. The leaf shape is elliptic and the leaf tip and base is acute. The inflorescence is in the form of an axillary or terminal cyme. The calyx is round: each sepal (5 nos) is around 1.6 cm long. The flowers are whitish-blue in color. The petals measure around 7 mm, the petals ends are spiral and terminate in a sharp point. The stamens and closely packed together in the middle of the flower to form a cone like shape. The fruit is in the form of 4 nutlets. Camel bush leaves are cooked and eaten. It has some medicinal applications and used in the treatment of wounds and fever. The plant can be found around Anaikkati hills in Coimbatore district. T Indicum is a small herb while T zeylanicum is a sub-shrub. The leaves in T zeylanicum have a sand-paper like feel.
