Vitex negundo

Five-leaved chaste tree
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Vitex
Species:
V. negundo
Binomial name
Vitex negundo
Synonyms
  • Vitex cannabifolia Siebold & Zucc.
  • Vitex incisa Lam.
  • Vitex incisa var. heterophylla Franch.
  • Vitex negundo var. heterophylla (Franch.) Rehder
nirgundi plant with flowers
Nirgundi Plant with bluish-purple flowers
In vitro flowering in Vitex negundo
Inflorescence of Vitex negundo in Panchkhal valley in Nepal

Vitex negundo, commonly known as the Chinese chaste tree,[2] five-leaved chaste tree, or horseshoe vitex, or nisinda is a large aromatic shrub with quadrangular, densely whitish, tomentose branchlets. It is widely used in folk medicine, particularly in South and Southeast Asia.

Vitex negundo is an erect shrub or small tree growing from 2 to 8 m (6.6 to 26.2 ft) in height. The bark is reddish brown. Its leaves are digitate, with five lanceolate leaflets, sometimes three. Each leaflet is around 4 to 10 cm (1.6 to 3.9 in) in length, with the central leaflet being the largest and possessing a stalk. The leaf edges are toothed or serrated and the bottom surface is covered in hair.[3] The numerous flowers are borne in panicles 10 to 20 cm (3.9 to 7.9 in) in length. Each is around 6 to 7 cm (2.4 to 2.8 in) long and are white to blue in color. The petals are of different lengths, with the middle lower lobe being the longest. Both the corolla and calyx are covered in dense hairs.[3]

The fruit is a succulent drupe, 4 mm (0.16 in) in diameter, rounded to egg-shaped. It is black or purple when ripe.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference GRIN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "​Vitex negundo​". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  3. ^ a b c Vitex negundo Linn. Fact Sheet (PDF). Bureau of Plant Industry, Department of Agriculture, Republic of the Philippines.