Page 3 - common trees of flowers of Uttarakhand

WILD FLOWER OF TERAI BHABHAR COMMON TREES AND FLOWERS OF UTTARAKHAND | 03

Asteraceae Goat Weed Ageratum conyzoides
Alternate English name: Blue Floss Flower Local name: Jungli pudina

Plant type and size Exotic Herb,
up to 1m tall.
Flower size 5-6mm.
Flowering year-round

Description This is a very common
plant found in fallow lands and
along waysides of roads. It is an
invasive plant originating in Tropical
America, but naturalised to India.
The plant is easily recognisable by
its oppositely-arranged, mint-like
leaves (hence, the local name),
which are slightly hairy, lance
shaped and have an unpleasant smell
when crushed. The stem is often Sanjay Sondhi
reddish-brown and covered in white

Sanjay Sondhi

Sanjay Sondhi hairs. The flowers are 5-6mm wide,
either white or pale blue, and
bunched in flat-topped clusters at
the top of the plant.

Medicinal and other uses
The plant is toxic if ingested by
humans and livestock, but has some
medicinal uses. In villages, the juice
of the young leaves is applied to
light cuts and scrapes, to alleviate
pain and stop bleeding. It is also
useful as an insect repellent. In some
parts of India, the plant is used to
treat dysentery and diarrhoea.

Sanjay Sondhi

Butterflies, such as the Plain Tiger Danaus chrysippus, often feed
on its nectar.

TERAI MID-ALTITUDE
LANDSCAPE LANDSCAPE
COMMON TREES AND FLOWERS OF UTTARAKHAND
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