Ruellia tuberosa (Common name: Waterkanon, Watrakanu, Minnie Root, Iron root) – Acanthaceae, a West Indian herb with curiously shaped blue flowers and fusiform tuberous roots.
The big bisexual flowers are violet. In folk medicine and Ayurveda it has been used as a diuretic, anti-diabetic, antipyretic, analgesic, antihypertensive, gastroprotective, and to treat gonorrhea.
Reference
Surendra Parihar
Ex.Professor and Head.
Deptt. of Seed , Science and Technology. IARI,
Pusa,
New Delhi 110012