Orthosiphon rubicundus

Family: Lamiaceae

What it is like

A softwood herb. It grows up to 60 cm tall. It has a woody rootstock that contains starch. The stems are erect, slender and 4 sided. The leaves are simple and in opposite pairs. They are 4-8 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. They have rounded teeth along the edge. The flowers are in rings along the stalk. There are 10-20 of these with 4-8 flowers. The nutlets are oval and 1.5 mm long by 1.2 mm wide.

There are about 40-100 Orthosiphon species. They grow in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in savannah woodland in Africa.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Central Africa, China, Congo, East Africa, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Laos, Madagascar, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The tubers are eaten. They are sliced, and ground into flour then used for cakes and other dishes. They are also used to extract starch.

It is occasionally cultivated.

Edible parts

Tuber, root, starch

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Jhinkpata, Jikipota, Tha-gya-ma-geik

Synonyms

Lumnitzera rubicunda (D. Don) Spreng.; Plectranthus rubicundus D. Don; and several others