Micromeria biflora, Indian Wild Thyme, Lemon Savory, Ban Ajwain

Micromeria biflora (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) Benth.
Family: Lamiaceae
Synonyms: Clinopodium biflorum (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) Kuntze, Micromeria biflora var. indica Elly Walther & K.H.Walther, Satureja biflora (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) Briq., Thymus biflorus Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don

Common names: Indian Wild Thyme, Lemon Savory
Chinese: 小姜草
Hindi: बन अजवाइन Ban Ajwain
Nepali: पिनासे झार Pinaase Jhaar

Description: Subshrubs tufted, aromatic. Stems numerous, ascending, to 30 cm, subterete, slender, densely ± patent white pilose and pubescent, red-purple. Petiole 0.1-0.5 mm; leaf blade ovate, 4-5 × 2.5-3 mm, conspicuously golden yellow glandular, sparsely puberulent on midrib, base rounded to shallowly cordate, margin flat or recurved, entire, apex acute. Verticillasters 1- or 2(-5)-flowered, pedunculate; peduncle 1-2 mm; bracts and bracteoles subequal, linear-subulate, ca. 1.5 mm, ciliate. Pedicel 2-3 mm, secund, red. Calyx short tubular, 2-lipped, to 4 mm, veins puberulent, throat pilose, 13-veined, ciliate; posterior teeth narrowly triangular, ca. 1.5 mm, apex long acuminate; anterior teeth subulate, ca. 2 mm, apex spinescent. Corolla rose, ca. 6 mm, sparsely puberulent, tube ca. 4 mm; upper lip elliptic, ca. 2 mm; lower lip ca. 2.5 mm, lobes subequal or middle larger. Anterior stamens nearly included. Ovary yellow-brown, glabrous. Nutlets brown, oblong, ca. 1 mm, glabrous. Fl. Jun-Jul, fr. Jul-Aug

Paste  of  the  roots  antiseptic,  for  infections,  boils.  Leaves juice aromatic and carminative, in stomachache. Veterinary medicine, plant paste used in worm-infested wounds in cattle. [CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants]

10 Published articles of Micromeria biflora
1.    Essential oil composition and pharmacological activities of Micromeria biflora (Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don) Benth. collected from Uttarakhand region of India Mahesh, C., et al., Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 2013. 7(35): p. 2538-2544.
2.    Pharmaco-Phylogenetic Investigation of Micromeria biflora Benth and Citrus reticulata Blanco Kumar, A., et al., National Academy Science Letters-India, 2012. 35(4): p. 253-257.
3.    GC Determination of Neral and Geranial in Volatile Oil of Micromeria Biflora Li, K., et al., Physical Testing and Chemical Analysis, 2011. 47(7): p. 829-830,833.
4.    Ultrasonic-assisted solvent extraction of ursolic acid and oleanolic acid from Micromeria biflora Benth Li, K., et al., Chemistry and Industry of Forest Products, 2009. 29(3): p. 111-114.
5.    Kun-ping, U.-a.S.E.o.U.A.a.O.A.f.M.b.B.L.I., et al., Chemistry and Industry of Forest Products, 2009. 29(3): p. 111-114.
6.    Composition of the essential oil of Micromeria biflora ssp. arabica K. Walth Al-Rehaily, A.J., Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 2006. 9(14): p. 2726-2728.
7.    Composition of the essential oil of Micromeria biflora Mallavarapu, G.R., R. Srinivasaiyer, and S. Karna, Journal of Essential Oil Research, 1997. 9(1): p. 23-26.
8.    AROMATIC COMPONENTS OF THE ESSENTIAL OILS OF 4 CHINESE MEDICINAL-PLANTS (ASARUM-PETELOTII, E.-S., EUPATORIUM-ADENOPHORUM, MICROMERIA-BIFLORA) IN YUNNAN Ding, J. K., et al., Zeitschrift Fur Naturforschung C-a Journal of Biosciences, 1994. 49(11-12): p. 703-706.
9.    ON THE OCCURRENCE OF MICROMERIA-BIFLORA-VAR-HISPIDA NEW-RECORD LAMIACEAE IN WESTERN HIMALAYA Janardhanan, K.P., Bulletin of the Botanical Survey of India, 1973. 15(1/2): p. (1976)-(1976).
10.    Traditional Chinese medicine used for treating Meniere's syndrome includes cicada slough, P., dogwood, sicklepod, kat sola, pipevine, round cardamom, cutgrass, Micromeria biflora, red spider lily, wild jujube seed and calamus Dong, J., X. Wang, and X. Fan. Dong J.