Mal Karvi / Mal Karvy
Pleocaulus ritchei
- Habit
- Undershrub
- Native to
- India
- Flowering
- September-March
How to identify Mal Karvi
Identify Mal Karvi by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a undershrub habit.
- Confirm leaf surface: Pubescent (softly hairy).
- Confirm flower colour: Purple.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: September-March.
- Confirm it sits within the Acanthaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Mal Karvi.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Pleocaulus ritchei
- Genus
- Pleocaulus
- Family
- Acanthaceae
- Habit
- Undershrub
- Native to
- India
- Flowering & fruiting
- September-March
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf surface
- Pubescent (softly hairy)recorded
Typical of the family
- Arrangement
- Opposite
Characters marked “recorded” are for Mal Karvi 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 Mal Karvi itself; the rest are typical of the Acanthaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Kannada
- ಬುಟ್ಟಿ ಕಾರ್ವಿ Butti Karvi
- Marathi
- माळ कारवी Mal Karvi, टोपली कारवी Topli Karvi
About Mal Karvi
A member of the Acanthaceae family, Mal Karvy (Pleocaulus ritchei) is a low shrub. It is native to India. Flowering and fruiting run from September to March.
Acanthaceae
Acanthus family
Mal Karvi 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 Mal Karvi 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.
All plant problem & care guides