Description

Andrographis paniculata, the spiked ginger lily, finds its most common Hindi trade name as Kapoor Kachri — a reference to the camphoraceous (Kapoor-like) fragrance of its rhizome. It is a large, perennial, rhizomatous herb of the family Zingiberaceae, growing in the moist forests, shaded ravines, and grassy slopes of the Himalayan foothills from Uttarakhand to Bhutan and Manipur at altitudes of 1,200–2,500 metres. Documented in tribal ethnobotanical records of Garhwal, Kumaon, and Sikkim, the fresh rhizome is employed in preparations for cold-related ailments, joint pain, and as an aromatic fumigant. In classical Ayurvedic materia medica, the plant is referenced under Shatpushpa or peripheral categories. Its aromatic essential oil finds application in the Indian incense industry. This entry is distinct from the separate kalmegh listing of the same species.