Lahare phul
Hemiphragma heterophyllum
Family: Plantaginaceae
What it is like
A herb which lies along the ground. It forms roots at the nodes. The leaves are of two forms. Those on the main stem have short stalks and are opposite and oval with a blunt tip. They have shallow round teeth. The leaves on the small branches are needle shaped and arise as a bunch from one point. The flowers are pink. The fruit is a berry. It turns bright red when ripe.
Also put in the family Scrophulariaceae.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows on alpine meadows and rock crevices. In Nepal it grows between 1800-4000 m altitude. It grows on dry slopes. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Sikkim, Taiwan, Tibet
How it is used for food
Ripe fruit are eaten raw.
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seeds or cuttings.
Its other names
Local names
A-la-thkhe-la-rtze, Bhui kafal, Lalgedi, Lalgeri, Mala phul, Nasjhar, Phiru-num, Vaidhye lahara