Botanical Name / Acanthus ilicifolius L.

Genus: Acanthus
Group: 1 Angiosperms (Flowering Plants) - I - Dicotyledons Family: Acanthaceae Genus: Acanthus
Common sinhala name
Katu Ikiliya, කටු ඉකිලි
Habit
Shrub or Large perennial herb, -150 cm.
Origin
Native
Conservation status
LC - Least Concerned
Legal status
Not protected
Similar species
All vernacular names
Ikiliya, Ikiri, ඉකිළි (Sinhala), Harikasa (Sanskrit), Attumulli/Kaludaimulli/Kolimulli (Tamil), Sea holly / Holly leaved (English)
Acanthus ilicifolius L.
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Acanthus ilicifolius L.
Contributors for Images
Aruna Yasapalitha (ID-AY), Tithira Lakkana (ID-TL)-FlowerSL (ID-PMR) Jacob de Vlas (ID-JdV) Sanjeewa Rupasinghe (ID-SR) - IDA 100%
Acanthus ilicifolius L.

Flowering Mar-Apr, Sep., Flowers about 2.8 cm across the lower lip, 4.4 cm long, in spikes of about 15 cm long. Leaves -9 cm long and -4 cm wide. Leaf margins with up- and downward pointing teeth that end with hard, sharp prickles. Mangrove swamps, along banks of estuaries and lagoons, in brackish wet places near the seashore. (JdV)

Along the coasts of Southeast Asia and North Australia.

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