Scutellaria barbata

Scutellaria barbata D.Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 109 1825. (syn: Scutellaria adenophylla Miq.; Scutellaria cavaleriei H.Lév. & Vaniot; Scutellaria komarovii H.Lév. & Vaniot; Scutellaria minor var. indica Benth.; Scutellaria rivularis Wall. ex Benth.; Scutellaria squamulosa A.Ham.);

Himalaya to Temp. E. Asia (from WCSP);

Scutellaria barbata is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to Asia.^[1] Its English common name is barbed skullcap.^[2]

It is a perennial herb generally reaching up to 35 centimeters tall, sometimes taller. The lightly toothed leaves are somewhat lance-shaped or triangular and up to about 3 centimeters long. The flowers are borne on pedicels that have tiny, sharp bracteoles. The purple-blue, lightly hairy flower corolla is roughly a centimeter long. The plant grows in moist and wet habitat, such as paddy fields.^[1]

As an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine it is known as Ban Zhi Lian (Chinese: 半枝莲; pinyin: bànzhīlián). It has been tested in clinical trials for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.^[3] Extracts induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells in laboratory studies.^[4] The plant is used as an herbal remedy for inflammation and traumatic injury.^[1]

(From Wikipedia on 17.5.15)

Stiff herbs; stem glandular-pilose. Leaves to 3 x 1 cm, acute at base and apex, distantly crenate, 3-nerved, densely white-glandular; petiole 5-10 mm long. Racemes 10 cm long; bracts orbicular, cuspidate. Flowers paired, calyx 6 x 4 mm, hairy, both lips saccate; corolla 10 mm long, lobes acute; anthers hairy. Nutlets globose, granulate, black.

Flowering and fruiting: October-December

Evergreen forests

India and China

(Attributions- Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

from India Biodiversity Portal)