Scientific name: Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E.Br. ex Britton & P.Wilson
Family: Verbenaceae
Synonym: Lantana alba Mill.
Bengali/Vernacular name: Pichas-lakri.
English name: Bushy matgrass, Bushy lippia.
Description of the plant: A gregarious, strongly aromatic shrub, branches erect, slender, obscurely angled, can be easily broken, hairy. Leaves simple, opposite, 8-13 cm long, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, serrate, apex acute, base cuneate, hairy. Inflorescence axillary, cylindric, sub-capitate spikes. Flowers sessile, light to rosy-pink, scented. Fruit globose, 2 mm across.
Plant parts used: Leaf.
Ethnomedicinal uses: Infusion of leaves is taken thrice a day until the hypertension is cured.
A fresh juice extracted from the leaves is taken twice a day for three days to treat diarrhoea.
Leaf paste is applied on the cutting wound once a day for three days to treat it.
Fresh juice extracted from the leaves is taken thrice a day until the cough is cured.
Cottonseed-sized pills are made with the leaves of the plant are taken with warm water thrice a day (one pill each time) until the bronchitis is cured.
A powder is made from dried leaves of the plant is mixed with water and juice, then the mixture is given two times a day (10 ml amount each time) until the stomachache is cured.
Distribution: The species occurs all over the country.
Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….
