Centrantherum punctatum

Centrantherum punctatum Cass.

FAMILY: ASTERACEAE
Morphological characters :

Habit: Perennial herb.

Stem: Stem hairy, watery.

Leaves: Leaves simple, large, alternate, exstipulate, petiolate-hairy, variously lobed, obovate, pinnatifid, serrate margin, 5.4 x 3.6cm, acute, veins prominent on the dorsal surface, unicostate reticulate venation, hairy.

Inflorescence: Heads large, terminal on branches, homogamous with all flowers tubular.

Flowe: Bracteate, involucre bracts broad, spinytipped, many- seriate, pedicellate, actinomorphic, bisexual, epigynous, flowers purple with a slight pleasant smell.

Calyx: Reduced to pappus of bristles.

Corolla: Petals 5, gamopetalous, valvate, tubular.

Androecium: Stamens 5, epipetalous, syngenesious, anthers cream in colour, filaments lender, long, anthers dithecous, basifixed, introrse.

Gynoecium: Bicarpellary, syncarpous, inferior ovary, unilocular, one ovule in the locule on basal placentation, stigma bifid, style long.

Fruit: Achene.

Flowering period: Throughout the year.

Economic uses: Cultivated in garden for its beautiful flowers. Its flowers and plants itself are used to treat wounds and injuries.