Anisomeles malabarica, more commonly known as the Malabar catmint,[2] is a species of herbaceous shrub in the family Lamiaceae.

[3][4][5] It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of India, and Sri Lanka, but can also be found in Malaysia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bismarck Archipelago, Mauritius, Andaman Islands and Réunion.

[5][4] The inflorescence of the plant is a single spike consisting of numerous whorls of leaves, with purple flowers arranged in rings oriented horizontally from the axis.

[5] One plant grows 400–500 flowers on average, which open between 01:00 and 05:00, although anthesis is delayed about an hour on cloudy and foggy days.

[4] The polished pericarp of the nutlet is unusual for the genus and results in the  attraction of granivores, namely sunbirds.

Unlike other species of Anisomeles, the calyxes do not taper consistently, and the lobes have a long and slender apex.

Its growth begins at the start of the monsoon season, growing from the rootstock and seeds, and it thrives in mesic climates.

[10][12] First described in 1771, it was initially named Nepeta malabarica L., derived from the region in southwest India it was discovered, Malabar.

[4][17] The scientific name Anisomeles is derived from the Greek for unequal limbs, and could either reference the fact that the upper lip of the corolla is smaller than the lower lip, or the fact that the upper pair of anthers are single-celled, compared to the lower two-celled pair.

[13][3] This Asiatic plant grows at low altitude in tropical and subtropical climates and is found in Sri Lanka, South India and Ceylon.

[3][4] It is often associated with the antique spurge (Euphorbia antiquorum) plant, as one of A. malabarica's primary pollinators, the sunbird, builds its nests in the branches.

It commences growth in July, flowers in mid October and, in drier climates, disappears in January.

[7] When the plants receive sufficient water, flowers can appear all year round, and they bear fruits in January, April, September and December.

[4] Anisomeles malabarica is pollinated by sunbirds of the genus Nectarinia and carpenter bees, which are attracted by both the colour and density of the flowers.

The plant is well adapted for pollination by bees due to large volumes of nectar with high sugar content coupled with the production of new flowers daily.

[7] The bees and sunbirds also travel considerable distances, which promotes the movement of pollen between and among different species of Anisomeles.

[3] It has been speculated that Anisomeles xerophila is an infrequent hybrid between A. indica and A. malabarica as its morphological characteristics are intermediate between the two species, and it has only been found in the overlap of their habitats.

[4][10] In addition, it has been posited that the antimicrobial compounds in A. malabarica may inhibit bacteria differently to current methods.