Acanthus ilicifolius

Botanical Description

Acanthus ilicifolius is an erect or reclining shrub growing from 50 - 200cm tall with scarcely branched stems that often produce adventitious aerial roots[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. , 582 Title Medicinal Plants of the Philippines Publication Author Website http://www.bpi.da.gov.ph/Publications/mp/mplants.html Publisher Bureau of Plant Industry, Philippines. Year 0 ISBN Description An Internet site from the Philippines Department of Agriculture, giving information in a readable way on the medicinal uses of many plants in their area. ]. The leaves have spiny edges when the plants are growing in an open position, but can be totally spineless when growing in the shade[ 372 Title Flowers of India Publication Author Website http://www.flowersofindia.net/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and material for making soap.