Eranthemum pulchellum, Gulsham, Neelambaram, Neelamulli

Eranthemum pulchellum Andrews
Family: Acanthaceae

Synonyms: Daedalacanthus nervosus (Vahl) T.Anderson, Daedalacanthus scaber T.Anderson, Daedalacanthus varians (Vent.) Voss, Eranthemum bicolor Schrank, Eranthemum edgeworthianum Nees, Eranthemum grandiflorum Zipp. ex Span., Eranthemum nervosum (Vahl) R.Br. ex Roem. & Schult., Eranthemum scabrum Wall. ex T.Anderson, Eranthemum varians Billb., Fittonia verschaffeltii var. pearsei G. Nicholson, Justicia bicolor Sims, Justicia gendarussa Blanco, Justicia nervosa Vahl, Pseuderanthemum bicolor (Schrank) Radlk. ex Lindau, Pseuderanthemum pulchellum (Andrews) Merr., Ruellia varians Vent., Siphoneranthemum bicolor Kuntze, Upudalia pulchella (Andrews) Raf.

• Common name: Blue Sage, Blue eranthemum
• Chinese: 爱春花
• Finnish: Korukäpy
• French: Pensée créole
• Hindi: गुलशाम Gulsham
• Tamil: Neelamulli நீள முள்ளி
• Telugu: Neelambaramu నీలాంబరము

Description: Eranthemum pulchellum (Eranthemum nervosum, English: blue eranthemum, or blue sage) is a strongly branched shrub, popular with gardeners in tropical India and China because of the spikes of flowers that are bright gentian blue - an unusual color in the tropics. The flowers appear from green-and-white veined bracts that remain after the blooms fall, forming a column several inches long. The hairy leaves are large and dark green. A sprawling shrub which may reach a metre or more in height, E. pulchellum is usually kept lower and bushier through pruning. Light shade is preferred in a garden; in a greenhouse it needs warm conditions. It is easily propagated from cuttings. Eranthemum pulchellum is the only species in the genus Eranthemum.

Roots, stems and leaves decoction antimicrobial, antiseptic, used for wounds, ulcers. [CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants]

Published article of Eranthemum pulchellum
Eranthemoside, a new iridoid glucoside from Eranthemum pulchellum (Acanthaceae)
Phytochemistry, Volume 26, Issue 12, 1987, Pages 3353-3354
Henrik Fischer, W. Jensen, Søren Rosendal Jensen, Bent Juhl Nielsen