Botanical name:Ajuga macrospermaFamily:Lamiaceae (Mint family) Synonyms: Ajuga sikkimensis, Ajuga macrosperma var. macrosperma, Ajuga geniculata
Basil Bugleweed is a variable, straggling
herb, with stems postrate or ascending, 12-90 cm, becoming hairless to
densely hairy. Flower are light to dark blue or purple, 8-10 mm; tube 6-7
mm, clearly geniculate or at least gibbous on upper side near base;
upper lip about 2.4 mm; lateral lobes of lower lip oblong, usually
notched, nearly equal in length to middle lobe. Calyx is often
somewhat two-lipped 4.5-5.5 mm, sparsely to densely hairy, teeth 0.7-2
mm, oblong. Flowers are borne in distant clusters, all but
lowermost subtended by bracts less than 1 cm long. Leaves are ovate-elliptic, 2.5-13 x 1.5-6.2 cm, pointed
to somewhat blunt, base wedge-shaped to narrowed, margin usually
irregularly rounded toothed-sawtoothed, velvet-hairy to sparsely hairy,
leaf-stalk up to 2 cm. Nutlets are about 2.5 x 1.7 mm, obovoid.
Basil Bugleweed is found in the Himalayas, from
Kumaon to NE India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, altitudes
of 400-2600 m. Flowering: January-March.
Medicinal uses: The plant is used in the
treatment of nephritis. The juice of the roots is applied to boils and
pimples.
Identification credit: Tabish, J.M. Garg
Photographed in Imphal, Manipur & Morni hills, Haryana.
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The flower labeled Basil Bugleweed is ...