Common Name: Pergularia, Hair-knot plant. Tamil Name: Velipparuthi.
Pergualria is a twinning perennial herb native to Tropical Africa. It is commonly found in road-sides and fallow lands in Tamilnadu. The simple leaves are arranged in an opposite manner, leaf size is highly variable. The leaves are ovate in shape with an acute apex and a cordate base; the leaf margin is entire. The entire plant is covered with soft hairs; the plant has fowl smelling milky sap. The inflorescence is in the form of a lateral cyme: looks like an umbel. The flowers are greenish cream in color. The flower measures around 1.5 cm across. The fruit is in the form of a paired follicle. The follicle is initially green in color turns dark brown on maturity. The follicle is lanceolate in shape and contain several seeds with cottony beard like attachments. Pergualria is the larval host plant for Plain Tiger butterfly.
