Leafy herb, 3-5 m tall. Leaves 30-35 cm, oblong to spathulate, acute, pale green. Bracts green. Sepals 14-15 mm, oblong, pale green. Corolla lanceolate, much longer than the sepals, greenish-yellow. Lower staminode (labellum) c. 60 mm, reddish-yellow, spotted red, emarginate. Upper staminodes red, yellow or pinkish, c. 80 mm, spathulate, emarginate. Ovary warty. Capsule 12-23 x 10-20 mm, trigonal, muricate. Seeds globose, c. 5 mm in diameter, black or dark brown, shiny.

Fl. Per.: March-September.

Type: “Hab. inter tropicas Asiae, Africae, Americae”.

Distribution: Tropical America and W. Indies, Asia, Malay Islands.

A hardy plant, cultivated throughout its range of distribution. Commonly cultivated throughout Pakistan as a hedge plant and in gardens for its showy flowers. The size and colour of the flower varies with the different cultivars: var. flava Rosc., Scit. Pl. t. 13, is recognised by bright yellow staminodes; var. nepalensis Baker in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 6:261.1892 [Wall. Cat. 6622 (sp.)] for its taller stature, larger flowers and not emarginate staminodes. Another cultivar frequently grown in Islamabad has smaller flowers with lanceolate staminodes. The stem, midrib and leaf margins are tinged red-purple. Common name: Indian shot .