How to identify Bear's Breeches
Identify Bear's Breeches by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a herb habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Large deeply lobed leaves, classical architectural motif.
- Confirm leaf arrangement: Basal.
- Confirm leaf margin: Lobed.
- Confirm flower colour: White.
- Confirm it sits within the Acanthaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Bear's Breeches.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Acanthus mollis
- Genus
- Acanthus
- Family
- Acanthaceae
- Habit
- Herb
Leaf characters
- Leaf arrangement
- BasalrecordedLeaves cluster at the base of the plant rather than along a stem.“It has a basal rosette of dark glossy green, lobed or divided, glabrous leaves 50 cm (20 in) long and 30 cm (12 in) wide on a petiole 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in) long.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf margin
- LobedrecordedThe edge is divided into rounded or pointed sections that don't reach the midrib.“It has a basal rosette of dark glossy green, lobed or divided, glabrous leaves 50 cm (20 in) long and 30 cm (12 in) wide on a petiole 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in) long.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf surface
- GlabrousrecordedSmooth, hairless.“It has a basal rosette of dark glossy green, lobed or divided, glabrous leaves 50 cm (20 in) long and 30 cm (12 in) wide on a petiole 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in) long.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
Characters marked “recorded” are for Bear's Breeches itself; the rest are typical of the Acanthaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Whiterecorded
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Spike
- Fruit
- Capsule
Characters marked “recorded” are for Bear's Breeches itself; the rest are typical of the Acanthaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Tamil
- அகான்தசு மோலிசு
About Bear's Breeches
A member of the Acanthaceae family, Bear'S Breeches (Acanthus mollis) is a herb.
Acanthaceae
Acanthus family
Bear's Breeches belongs to the Acanthaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Acanthaceae familySnap it. Know it.
Point your camera at Bear's Breeches or any plant and SASYA identifies it instantly — on-device, offline, and private.
Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
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