Anisomeles malabarica

Anisomeles malabarica
Anisomeles malabarica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Anisomeles
Species:
A. malabarica
Binomial name
Anisomeles malabarica
(L.) R.Br. ex Sims
Distribution of Anisomeles malabarica. Native distribution in red, introduced in green.
Synonyms[1]
  • Nepeta malabarica L.
  • Ajuga fruticosa Roxb.
  • Epimeredi malabaricus (L.) Rothm.
  • Nepeta pallida Salisb.
  • Stachys mauritiana Pers.
  • Anisomeles intermedia Wight ex Benth.
  • Craniotome mauritianum (Pers.) Bojer
  • Anisomeles cuneata J.Jacq

Anisomeles malabarica, more commonly known as the Malabar catmint,[2] is a species of herbaceous shrub in the family Lamiaceae.[3][4][5] It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of India, and Sri Lanka, but can also be found in Malaysia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bismarck Archipelago, Mauritius, Andaman Islands and Réunion.[4][1][6]

Growing up to 2 m high, it has narrow green leaves 3–8 cm in length, and 1.5–3 cm wide.[5] It is pollinated by sunbirds and carpenter bees, and bears purple flowers in mid spring, though it may also bear the flowers throughout the year.[7][8][5] Originally used in Sri Lankan and Hindi folk medicine, the current main uses are medicinal, aromatics and cosmetics.[9]

  1. ^ a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. ^ "Anisomeles malabarica". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  3. ^ Aluri, Raju J. S. (1992). "The Mint Genus Anisomeles (Lamiaceae)". Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy. 58 (6): 387–394.
  4. ^ a b Bean, Anthony R. (2015). "A taxonomic revision of Anisomeles R.Br. (Lamiaceae)" (PDF). Austrobaileya. 9 (3): 321–381.
  5. ^ a b c Ng, L.K.; Ling, S.K. (2001). Bunyapraphatsara, N.; van Valkenburg, J.L.C.H. (eds.). Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 12(2): Medicinal and poisonous plants 2. Leiden, The Netherlands: Backhuys Publisher. p. 78.
  6. ^ Khanam, M. & Hassan, M.A. (2008). Lamiaceae. Flora of Bangladesh 58: 1-161. Bangladesh National Herbarium, Dhaka.
  7. ^ Aluri, Raju J.S.; Reddi, C. Subba (1995). "Ecology of Pollination in two cat-mint species". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 92: 63–66.
  8. ^ Reddi, Raju; Aluri, J.S.; Subba, C. (1989). "Pollination Biology of Anisomeles indica and A. malabarica (Lamiaceae)". Plant Species Biology. 4 (2): 157–167. doi:10.1111/j.1442-1984.1989.tb00057.x.
  9. ^ Guha Bakshi, D.N.; Sensarma, P.; Pal, D.C. (1999). A Lexicon of Medicinal Plants in India. Calcutta, India: NayaPrakash. p. 152.