**4. Morphology**

*P. polyphylla* is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant with green and unbranched aerial parts which grows upto 50–100 cm. It has a erect smooth stems with a rhizome. The leaves are arranged in whorl and usually 6–7 in numbers. The leaves has parallel reticulate venation and lanceolate in shape. The flowers are borne above the leaves whorl and are yellow green in colour. The Inflorescence is solitary. Flowers are bisexual and the perianth is of two series. The outer sepaloid is larger as compared to the inner one. The tepals may be 3, 4 or 5. It contains 6–11 Androceum and the stamens are free. It contains one gynoecium and a pistil with 3–5 carpels. The


#### **Table 2.** *Different varieties of* P. polyphylla*.*

ovary is superior. It blooms in the month of April–June in the region and flowering may last up to 3–4 months. The capsules split when it got ripened in late summer. A mature fruit contains 50–60 red seeds.

Different varieties of *P. polyphylla* have been identified. Some of them are given below (**Table 2**).
