Elsholtzia fruticosa (D.Don) RehderFamily: Lamiaceae
Synonyms: Aphanochilus fruticosus (D.Don) Kudô, Aphanochilus polystachyus Benth., Buddleja plectranthoidea H.Lév., Colebrookea oppositifolia Lodd., Elsholtzia dielsii H.Lév., Elsholtzia fruticosa var. fruticosa, Elsholtzia fruticosa var. glabrifolia C.Y.Wu & S.C.Huang, Elsholtzia fruticosa f. inclusa Y.Z.Sun, Elsholtzia fruticosa f. leptostachya C.Y.Wu & S.C.Huang, Elsholtzia fruticosa var. parvifolia C.Y.Wu & S.C.Huang, Elsholtzia fruticosa var. paucidentata Hand.-Mazz., Elsholtzia polystachya Benth., Elsholtzia tristis H.Lév. & Vaniot, Leucosceptrum plectranthoideum (H.Lév.) Marquand, Perilla fruticosa D.Don.
Chinese: ji gu chaiOther Indian names: jaunkra, nirpathe, potha, pothi, pothu jaunkra, rangchari
Descripton: Shrubs erect, 0.8-2 m tall, much branched. Stems and branches yellow- or purple-brown, white floccose-pilose, glabrescent, bark exfoliating. Petiole short to obsolete; leaf blade elliptic-lanceolate to oblong, 6-13 × 2-3.5 cm, densely yellow glandular, adaxially strigose, abaxially curved pubescent or glabrous except for sparsely puberulent veins, base narrowly cuneate, margin coarsely serrate except for entire base, apex acuminate; lateral veins 6-8 paired, prominent abaxially. Spikes cylindric, 6-20 × to 1.3 cm in flower, base ± interrupted, mostly densely pubescent; verticillasters short pedunculate, many flowered; bracts mostly lanceolate to subulate, shorter than verticillasters. Pedicel 0.5-2 mm. Calyx campanulate, ca. 1.5 mm, gray pubescent; teeth triangular-subulate, ca. 0.5 mm, subequal; fruiting calyx tubular, ca. 3 × 1 mm, conspicuously veined. Corolla white to yellowish, ca. 5 mm, floccose outside, golden glandular, hairy annulate inside; tube ca. 4 mm, ca. 1 mm wide at base, to 2 mm wide at throat; upper lip erect, ca. 0.5 mm, apex emarginate; middle lobe of lower lip circular, ca. 1 mm; lateral lobes semicircular. Nutlets brown, oblong, ca. 1.5 × 0.5 mm, adaxially ribbed, apex obtuse. Fl. Jul-Sep, fr. Oct-Nov.
Whole plant for bruises and wounds, a poultice; flowering tops taken as diuretic. Flowers for dysentery. Fruits eaten to get rid of constipation. Leaves as insect repellent, botanical insecticides. [CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants]
Published articles of Elsholtzia fruticosa
