Phaulopsis imbricata imbricata

Description

Phaulopsis imbricata is a shrub native to South Africa. It is also known as Himalayan ruellia. Leaves are opposite, one larger than the other in each pair, usually asymmetrical at the base.Phaulopsis imbricata is a good fodder, the young leaves are eaten as a vegetable and the plant-ash in oil is rubbed into scarifications on the back for rheumatism in Tanganyika. The flowers have an unpleasant smell.It is filed as near-threatened by the IUCN. It is one of the larval host plants of the butterflies great eggfly, tiny grass blue, brown pansy, soldier pansy and marbled elf.