Ajuga bracteosa

Content

Description

Low, diffuse, much branched herb, usually less than 20 cm. Leaves oblanceolate, narrowly obovate or subspathulate, hirsute on both surfaces, 4-8 by 2-3 cm, obtuse or rounded, base cuneate or gradually attenuate, margin undulate; Flowers many in axillary verticillasters, sometimes crowded in a terminal, spikelike inflorescence, with ovate or cuneate-obovate, entire or toothed prominent bracts. Stamens exserted, the cells confluent, often hairy.

Distribution

Afghanistan present, Asia-Tropical: India present; Maluku (Maluku present); Philippines (Philippines present); Thailand (Thailand present), Batan Is present, Burma present, Continental SE. Asia present, Halmaheira present, Jappen I present, Luzon present, Mindanao present, N. & E. Celebes present, Ryu Kyu Is present, S. China present, Serui present, Southern America: Argentina Northeast (Formosa present), Talaud Is present, Ternate present, W. New Guinea present

From Afghanistan through continental SE. Asia (India, Burma, Thailand, Indo-China, S. China to Formosa and the Ryu Kyu Is.); in Malesia: Philippines (Batan Is., Luzon, Mindanao), Talaud Is., N. & E. Celebes, Moluccas (Ternate, Halmaheira), and W. New Guinea (Jappen I.: Serui).

Uses

Unknown in Malesia; in India leaves are said to be used medicinally () and recorded to have a peculiar resinous odor and bitter taste.

Notes

Specific delimitation is in some alliances of this genus difficult. BENTHAM () already remarked that one of the Australian species could be hardly distinguished from the northern hemisphere A. genevensis. In contrast to HOOKER F, and MUKERJEE, I have taken the species in a more restricted sense, not including several synonyms, hence not occurring in Ethiopia and Japan. In comparison with the type (WALLICH 2032) Malesian specimens have more elongate and less hairy leaves and a shorter corolla. They match better the type of A. remota BTH. (WALLICH 2033), but there are intermediates and the latter is unanimously reduced to the former.

Citation

BTH. 1848 – In: DC., Prod. 12: 597

HOLTH. & LAM 1942 – In: Blumea: 237

BTH. 1835: Lab. Gen. Sp.: 696

QUIS. 1951: Medic. Pl. Philip.: 811

HATUS. 1966 – In: Mem. Fac. Agr. Kagoshima Un.: 48

Hook.f. 1885 – In: Fl. Br. Ind.: 702

MUKERJEE 1940 – In: Rec. Bot. Surv. India: 224

KUDO 1929 – In: Mem. Fac. Sc. & Agr. Taihoku Un.: 287

MASAM. IC. 1955 – In: Rep. Kanazawa Un.: 50

Merr. 1923 – In: En. Philip.: 408

HARA 1948 – In: En. Sperm. Jap.: 192

KENG 1969: p. 31. – In: Gard. Bull. Sing.: f. 4