Pogostemon auricularius (L.) Hassk.

Herbs annual. Stems 0.4-2 m tall, prostrate basally, rooting at nodes, ascending, apex much branched, densely yellow spreading hirsute. Petiole rarely to 1.2 cm, upper stem leaves subsessile; leaf blade oblong to ovate-oblong, 2.5-7 × 1.5-2.5 cm, yellow strigose, with scattered impressed glands, base rounded to shallowly cordate, rarely cuneate, margin serrate, apex obtuse to acute; lateral veins 5-or 6-paired, conspicuous abaxially. Spikes 6-18 cm, apex caudate-acuminate, ca. 1 cm in diam. in flower, continuous or sometimes interrupted at base; bracts ovate-lanceolate, as long as corolla, margin strigose. Calyx campanulate, ca. 1 × 1 mm, glabrous, yellow glandular; teeth broadly triangular, ca. 1/4 as long as calyx tube, margin pilose. Corolla purplish to white, ca. 2.5 × as long as calyx, glabrous. Stamens much exserted, exserted parts bearded. Nutlets brown, subglobose, ca. 0.5 mm in diam., glabrous. Fl. and fr. Apr-Nov.

Sunny, constantly or periodically humid localities, borders of ditches, dams of paddies, grassy wastes, thickets, locally often common, from the lowland ascending to c. 2000 m. Fl. Jan.-Dec.

Uses. Pounded leaves, whether or not powdered with lime, are applied as a poultice on the abdomen (RIDLEY). Poulticing is also recorded for other troubles, e.g. diarrhoea, colic, worms and a sore throat. BURKILL & HANIFF said that the plant is in Malaya in common use for simple disturbances of the stomach in children ( BURKILL & HANIFF Gard. Bull. S. S. 6 1930 238 ). HARTLEY listed it as potential anti-cancero-gene ( HARTLEY Lloydia 32 1969 265 ).