Strobilanthes cusia | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Acanthaceae |
Genus: | Strobilanthes |
Species: | S. cusia
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Binomial name | |
Strobilanthes cusia |
Strobilanthes cusia, also known as Assam indigo or Chinese rain bell, is a perennial flowering plant of the family Acanthaceae.[1] Native to South Asia, China, and Indochina, it was historically cultivated on a large scale in India and China as a source of indigo dye, which is also known as Assam indigo.[2] In addition to being used for dye, it is also used in the traditional Chinese herbal medicine "Qingdai".[3] Other names for this dicot include Pink strobilanthes and Strobilanthes flaccidifolius, where flaccidifolius is Latin for "drooping leaves".[1]