Bashok or Malabar nut, Justicia adhatoda
Bashok or Malabar nut ( Justicia adhatoda ) is a large leafy shrub with glabrous branches, attaining a height of about 2 m. In many places it can grow up to 6 meters. It is found everywhere in Bangladesh, specially in medicine gardens of the country. Leaves are dark green, smooth, elliptic-lanceolate, 12-13 cm long and 4-5 cm wide, acute at the apex. Shiny leaves are bitter-flavored. About Bashok , there are two words are recorded in the Ayurvedic scriptures: As long as there are Bashoks in the world, the patients of cough and tuberculosis will not be disappointed. Flowers are white with purplish shade in inner petals. Calyx is 5-lobed, 75 cm long, oblong-lanceolate. Flowering occurs in the summer. Fruit is a capsule, almost 2 cm long. Seeds are round-shaped. Propagation of the plant is caused by cuttings. Semi-shady place is good for its growth. It has many names in herbal literature, e.g. Shinghamukhi, Pitaparna, Panchamukhi and Mrigendrani. ...