Anisomeles malabarica - Malabar Catmint
❏ Binomial Name : Anisomeles malabarica (L.) R.Br. ex Sims.
❏ Synonym : Nepeta malabarica
❏ Family : Lamiaceae
❏ Common Name : Malabar Catmint
❏ Tamil Name : Aruvaachadachi
❏ Hindi Name : Gopoli, Codhara
❏ IUCN status: Not Evaluated
Anisomeles malabarica Botanical Description
Perennial, semi-shrubby herb; stem to about 2 m high, much branched from base, subquadrangular, thickened below to 1.8 cm in diam., densely lanate. Leaves ovate-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 3.6-16 x 1.3-7 cm, narrowed and rounded at base, acute, crenate-serrate, slightly bullate and velvety lanate above, densely so beneath; petioles 0.7-3.5 cm long, stout, lanate. Racemes to 34.5 cm long; verticils close, dense; peduncles densely lanate. Floral leaves 8-10 mm long, densely lanate. Bracts linear, to 5 mm long. Calyx to 9 mm long; tube to 5 mm long, lanate without, glabrous within; lobes lanceolate, to 4 mm long, acuminate. Corolla 1.4-2 cm long; tube to 9 mm long, white, glabrous without; throat pilose towards base of lower lip; Upper lip oblong, 4-6 mm long, obtuse at apex, slightly arched, whitish; lower lip to 1 cm across, coral pink, with 2 white streaks towards base, pilulose without with gland-tipped hairs, the lateral lobes shallowly rounded, the median one larger, broadly orbicular, 2-fid. Style glabrous; branches linear, unequal. Nutlets ovoid, 2.5 x 1.5 mm, trigonous, glabrous, blackish-brown and shining. Fl. &Fr.: November-December.
Anisomeles malabarica Medicinal uses
The whole plant, but especially the leaves and the roots, is a powerful astringent, carminative, febrifuge and tonic.