Elsholtzia flava

Family: Lamiaceae

What it is like

An erect shrub. It only has a few branches in the stem. The leaves are stalked. They are opposite. The leaves are 6-20 cm long by 2.8-13 cm wide. They are oval and taper to the tip. They have teeth along the edge. The base is rounded or heart shaped. The flowers are yellow. They occur in dense rings of many flowers. The fruit is a nutlet.

There are about 40 Elsholtzia species. It is used in medicine.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. In Nepal it grows between 1600-3000 m altitude. It grows in shady valleys and moist places in oak forests. in China it grows between 1,000-2,900 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Himalayas, India, Nepal, Northeastern India, Sikkim, Tibet

How it is used for food

The seeds are eaten raw or pickled. They are used as a spice.

Edible parts

Seeds

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Ban silam, Huang hua xiang ru, Sop sop

Synonyms

Aphanochilus flavus Benth.;