Thumba is a very small flower white in color. It is found almost everywhere in Kerala. The botanical name of Thumba Poovu belongs to the family of Leucas. Thumba is called Leuca Indica or Leucas aspera. I am not a botanist, and I do not know the exact taxonomy and family tree of Thumba. Some people write it as Thumba and some others write it as Thumpa. Thumbapoo and the plant itself are related to many ways with the culture of people of Kerala. Thumbapoo is used as one of the ingredient of “ada” a food dish that is special to Kerala. Thumpapoo is having an important role in many poojas observed by the Hindu community in Kerala. Thumbapoo (the flower) and Thumbachedi (the plant) is ingredient to many ayurvedic medicines. Thumbapoo is having an important role with Onam, the festival of Kerala. This small flower has a resemblance with a beautiful foot, and there are many stories that describe how this “foot” landed in earth from heaven. Some of the main classifications of Thumba found in Kerala are Anisomeles malabarica, Leucas aspera and Leucas cephalotes.
