Punch Newspapers Sections Published 21 February 2021 Andrographis paniculata belongs to the family Acanthaceae. It is an erect branched annual. The leaves are lanceolate and the flowers are small, white with a rose coloured mark. The seeds are many, rugosely pitted and yellowish brown when dry. Here comes the king of bitters! That name fits it perfectly because it is very bitter. I have the powdered form of the leaves and without even tasting it, each time I open the container it is kept, I feel the bitter taste in my throat! My mum visited, so, because I have told her so much about the plant, I opened the bowl I kept it in for her to see. She also felt the bitterness in her throat as I opened it. I was almost rolling on the floor laughing when she said, “I can smell something as you opened the bowl.” I reminded her that she does not have the sense of smell (it is hereditary for her). I told her it was the bitterness of the herb that she felt in her throat. It is sometimes referred to as ewe