Soft shen
Eriophyton wallichii
Family: Lamiaceae
What it is like
A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 10-20 cm high. The root is fleshy and cylinder shaped. The stems are 4 sided. They have a dense covering when young. The leaves only have short stalks. The lower leaves are small and like scales, the middle ones are opposite. They are 3-4 cm long and wide. The base is wedge shaped. There are teeth towards the tip. The leaves have a grey covering over both surfaces. The flowers are light purple to pink. There are 6 flowers in a ring without flower stalks. The fruit are nutlets that are yellow and 3 mm long.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows in north-western Yunnan in China. It grows in alpine meadows among broken rocks in the high mountains. It grows between 3,400-4,700 m altitude. In Sichuan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, China, Himalayas, India, Nepal, Sikkim, Tibet
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Root
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Mian shen