Kurinji
Phlebophyllum kunthianum
Also known as Kurunji, Neelakurinji
- Habit
- Shrub
- Native to
- India
- Flowering
- September-January (Once in 12 years)
How to identify Kurinji
Identify Kurinji by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a shrub habit.
- Confirm leaf surface: Glabrous (smooth, hairless).
- Confirm flower colour: Purple.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: September-January (Once in 12 years).
- Confirm it sits within the Acanthaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Kurinji.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Phlebophyllum kunthianum
- Genus
- Phlebophyllum
- Family
- Acanthaceae
- Habit
- Shrub
- Habitat
- Grasslands
- Habitat type
- Grassland
- Native to
- India
- Distribution
- India
- Flowering & fruiting
- September-January (Once in 12 years)
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf surface
- Glabrous (smooth, hairless)recorded
Typical of the family
- Arrangement
- Opposite
Characters marked “recorded” are for Kurinji itself; the rest are typical of the Acanthaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- PurplerecordedPurple or violet
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Spike
- Fruit
- Capsule
Characters marked “recorded” are for Kurinji itself; the rest are typical of the Acanthaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Hindi
- कुरिंजी Kurinji
- Kannada
- ಕುರಿಂಜಿ Kurinji
- Tamil
- நீலக்குரிஞ்சி Neelakkurinji
About Kurinji
Kurinji (Phlebophyllum kunthianum) is a shrub in the Acanthaceae family. It is native to India. It grows in grasslands. It flowers and fruits through much of the year.
Acanthaceae
Acanthus family
Kurinji belongs to the Acanthaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Acanthaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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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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