Hyptis capitata (PROSEA)
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Introduction |
Hyptis capitata Jacq.
- Protologue: Collectanea 1: 102 (1787).
Vernacular names
- Philippines: botonesan (Tagalog), palapasagi (Panay Bisaya), tultulisan (Iloko)
- Vietnam: é hình thoi, é hoa dầu.
Distribution
Native to tropical America, but naturalized in the Old World tropics and throughout Malesia.
Uses
In the Philippines a decoction of the leaves is used externally to treat wounds, and a decoction of the roots internally against amenorrhoea. In Central America a decoction of the plant is applied against toothache, gastro-intestinal troubles, oedema, intermittent fever, bronchial complaints and sore eyes.
Observations
A large, erect herb up to 250 cm tall, not aromatic; leaves lanceolate to rhomboid-elliptical, 6-10(-14) cm × 1.5-4(-6) cm, cuneate and decurrent at base; inflorescence a dense, subglobose spurious head c. 1 cm in diameter with peduncle up to 5(-8) cm long; flowers with tubular calyx up to 8 mm long and corolla up to 6 mm long, white, violet-dotted. H. capitata occurs in waste places, along water courses, on fallow rice fields and in open teak forest, up to 1300 m altitude, sometimes gregariously.
Selected sources
247, 451, 646, 760.
Main genus page
Authors
Rini Sasanti Handayani
