Leucas aspera

• Botanical Name : Leucas aspera (Willd.) Link
• Synonyms : Phlomis aspera Willd.
• Common Name : Tamba, Kubo, Common Leucas
• Plant Family : Lamiaceae (Labiatae)

• According to the Rules of ICBN the names of the families should end in -aceae. Thus the new name for the family Labiatae became Lamiaceae. However, the name Labiatae is also exempted and conserved under 'Nomina Conservanda' because of their constant use for a long time.

• Plant Form : Herb
• Occurrence (Special Areas) : Indroda Park, Punit Van, Sarita Udyan

About Leucas aspera Plant :

• Habit : An annual herb with square stem.
• Leaves : Opposite, linear-oblong or oblong lanceolate, obtuse, entire or crinate, sub-sessile.
• Inflorescence : Terminal and axillary whorls.
• Flowers :
  • Sessile, bracteate, bracts linear, ciliate with long hairs.
  • Calyx tubular, curved, hairy, mouth small, oblique, teeth small, the upper the largest.
  • Corolla white, bilabiate, densely-white woolly, lower tip twice as long, the middle lobe obovate, rounded.
  • Stamens 4, didynamous.
  • Ovary 4-lobed, style gynobasic, stigma bifid.
• Fruit : Nutlets 4, oblong, smooth, brown, inner face sharply angular, the dorsal face rounded.
• Flowering and Fruiting Time : July-October
• Significance :
  • The plant is fragrant and used as a pot-herb.
  • It is eaten in times of scarcity.
  • It is commonly used as an anti-pyretic.
  • The juice of the leaves is used as an external application for psoriasis, chronic skin eruptions and painful swellings.