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Useful Tropical Plants

Limnophila rugosa

(Roth) Merr.

Plantaginaceae

+ Synonyms

Herpestis rugosa Roth

Limnophila roxburghii Auct. Non G.Don

Common Name:

Limnophila rugosa
Drawing of the flowering plant
Photograph by: Flora of China
Creative Commons License

General Information

Limnophila rugosa is an erect, semi-aquatic, fragrant, perennial herb, growing up to 50 cm tall[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The leaves make a popular side dish in southeast Asia, where they are gathered from the wild. The plant is also used medicinally and is the source of an essential oil.
This species has a broad distribution and there is nothing to suggest that it is in decline or threatened throughout its range. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
490
Title
Flora Vitiensis Nova
Publication
 
Author
Smith. A.C.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden; Hawaii
Year
1979
ISBN
 
Description
A comprehensive flora of Fiji, often showing plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.

Range

E. Asia - India, southern China, throughout Southeast Asia to Fiji and Samoa in the Pacific.

Habitat

Wet locations along streams, pools and rice fields, at elevations from sea-level up to 1,500 metres[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.50 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

The leaves and tender stems smell of anise and are eaten as a condiment raw or cooked[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. A popular side dish in southeast Asia, eaten with rice[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Medicinal

The leaves are antipyretic[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. A decoction of the leaves, combined with Ocimum basilicum, is drunk as a treatment for mild gonorrhoea and impotence[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. The plant is used in the treatment of coughs and colds[
490
Title
Flora Vitiensis Nova
Publication
 
Author
Smith. A.C.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden; Hawaii
Year
1979
ISBN
 
Description
A comprehensive flora of Fiji, often showing plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Both a decoction and a steam-bath of the aromatic leaves are used to cure itching eyes[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

The plant contains an essential oil that comprises linalool (0.1%), estragole (22%), cis-anethole (0.03%), anisaldehyde (0.05%), trans- anethole (75%), anisyl acetone (0.03%), caryophyllene (0.08%), humulene (0.15%) and 'ALFA'-bulnesene (0.01%)[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The flavonoid nevadensin, present in the leaves, has shown a hypotensive action[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Other Uses

The plant contains an essential oil. The oil comprises mainly trans-anethole (76.39%) and estragol (21.94%), with small quantities of humulene (0.15%), linalool (0.08%), caryophyllene (0.08%), anisaldehyde (0.05%), anisyl acetone (0.03%) and a-bulnescene (0.01%)[
425
Title
Studies on the Chemical Constituents of the Essential Oil from Limnophila rugosa.
Publication
 
Author
Yu Xuejian; Cheng Biqiang
Publisher
Acta Botanica Yunnanica 1986 (01)
Year
1986
ISBN
 
Description
An analysis of the essential oil of Limnophila rugosa. The original document is in Chinese, with a short abstract in English.
].
The aromatic herb is used to perfume hair[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings. The stems often form basal roots, and these can be used as propagation material[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-12. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Limnophila+rugosa>

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