Half-branch flower
Scutellaria barbata
Family: Lamiaceae
What it is like
An erect herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 15-35 cm high. It has creeping underground stems. They are 4 sided. The leaves are triangle shaped and 1-4 cm long by 5-15 mm wide. The flowers are purple-blue. They are in one sided arrangements in the axils of leaves and near the ends of branches. These are 3-5 cm long. The fruit are 4 nutlets that are flattened and 1 mm across.
Where it is found
It is a subtropical plant. It is native to China and grows in lowland and on the banks of springs and canals. It grows between sea level and 2,000 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Japan, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, SE Asia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
How it is used for food
The young shoots are gathered in early spring, pickled in salt, rubbed between the hand and dried in the sun then stored for winter use.
It is sold in local markets in China.
Edible parts
Shoots, leaves