Dong zi su
Elsholtzia bodinieri
Family: Lamiaceae
What it is like
A herb which keeps growing from year to year. The stems are 25-30 cm long. The base can have short scaly stolons or runners. The leaves on the stolons or runners are oblong and 3.5-5 mm long by 2-3 mm wide. The leaves on the stem are 0.8-2.5 cm long by 2-3 mm wide. They are leathery. The flower spike is at the tip and is 2-3.5 cm long.
There are about 40 Elsholtzia species. It is used in medicine.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in pine forests and hilly grasslands between 1,200-3,000 m above sea level. In Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, China
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Leaves - tea, flowers