Leucas zeylanica (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Leucas zeylanica (L.) R.Br.

Protologue: Prodr. 504 (1810).

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: paci-paci (Sundanese, Balinese), brobos (Javanese), daun heran (Moluccas)
• Malaysia: katumbit, ketumbak, daun luka-luka (Peninsular)
• Philippines: guma-guma (Sulu), masibulan (Gaddang)
• Cambodia: man mac
• Thailand: thian taak (south-eastern), yaa prik (peninsular)
• Vietnam: mè dất, mè hoang, bạch thiệt.

Distribution

L. zeylanica is widely distributed throughout South and South-East Asia, but is rather rare in East Asia.

Uses

In Malesia, the leaves of L. zeylanica may be taken as a sedative, and to heal wounds. The entire plant is rubbed on the abdomen after childbirth. The leaves are also used as an anthelminthic. The whole herb has a bitter taste, but is still locally used as a pot herb.

Observations

An annual herb, 20-60 cm tall, stem and branches hispid; leaves lanceolate, 4-5.5 cm × 1-1.3 cm, margins remotely serrate, membranaceous, hirsute on both surfaces, petiole 0.2-0.8 cm long, hispid; inflorescence composed of terminal verticillasters, flowers usually 6-8, forming a globular head, 1.5-2 cm in diameter, occasionally also with axillary verticillasters, bracts linear, 4-5 mm long, spinescent, calyx turbinate, 5-6 mm long, in fruit 7-8 mm, slightly curved, hispid, 10-veined and 8-toothed, posterior one only slightly longer, mouth slightly oblique, corolla 8 mm long, tube with a hairy ring near the middle, upper lip obovate, white-woolly, lower lip patent, 3-4 mm long; nutlets obovoid, 3 mm × 1 mm, apex truncate, ventral surface angular, dorsal side rounded, smooth and shiny, dark brown or black. L. zeylanica is a weed of sunny dry localities, often on sandy soils, paddy dams, waste places, roadsides, from the lowland up to 1000 m altitude.

Selected sources

74,

• Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, 1948-1976. The wealth of India: a dictionary of Indian raw materials & industrial products. 11 volumes. Publications and Information Directorate, New Delhi, India.788, 810.

Authors

Marfu’ah Wardani