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Evolvulus alsinoides
Evolvulus alsinoides L., Convolvulaceae, is a common weed of the open and grassy places throughout India, occurring up to 6,000 ft in the Himalaya. This species is a slender plant with pretty blue flowers (Evolvulus alsinoides1), but in some seasons/populations, the flowers are pale blue to white.
Another species Evolvulus nummularius with white flowers has appeared as a weed in the last half-century and is sometimes needlessly confused with Evolvuus alsinoides, as the former has also very different leaves.
the species goes by the samskrit name vishnugandhi or vishnukranti, but its hindi name shankhapushpi created confusion with another species Clitoria ternatea from a totally unrelated family, the Fabaceae (see Clitoria ternatea). The controversy is raised on and off.
The plant is a bitter tonic, febrifuge, vermifuge and is useful in diarrhoea. Leaves are made into cigarettes and smoked in chronic bronchitis and asthma.
The plant contains the alkaloid evolvuline and a fatty residue. A crude extract of the plant is toxic to earthworms.
An extract of the plant in oil is reputed to promote hair growth.