Hyptis pectinata (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Hyptis pectinata (L.) Poit.

Protologue: Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 7: 474, t. 30 (1806).

Distribution

Native to tropical America, but naturalized in many other tropical regions; in Malesia found in West Java and New Guinea (Morobe District).

Uses

The leaves are commonly used in traditional medicine in Africa, e.g. as a purgative, analgesic and febrifuge, and to treat dysentery, chest complaints, cough, rheumatism, boils, internal piles, early rectal cancer and scabies. Similar uses are known for Central America. The leaves are also used for flavouring soup.

Observations

• A large, shrubby herb up to 250 cm tall, aromatic.
• Leaves ovate or elliptical, 2-3 cm × 1-1.5 cm, rounded or truncate at base.
• Inflorescence a spurious raceme up to 8(-15) cm long, consisting of many secund cymes and generally forming a large, terminal panicle.
• Flowers with tubular calyx up to 4 mm long and corolla up to 3.5 mm long, violet or pale mauve fading to cream.

H. pectinata occurs in waste places and along water courses, up to 700 m altitude, locally gregariously.

Selected sources

95, 120, 247, 646, 729.

Main genus page

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Authors

Rini Sasanti Handayani