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Useful Tropical Plants

Pogostemon heyneanus

Benth.

Lamiaceae

+ Synonyms

Origanum indicum Roth

Pogostemon suavis Ten.

Common Name: Indian Patchouli

Pogostemon heyneanus
Flowers
Photograph by: David Stang
Creative Commons License
Pogostemon heyneanus Pogostemon heyneanus

General Information

Pogostemon heyneanus is a large, straggling, evergreen perennial plant with stems that are woody at the base. It can be erect, but is often semi-scandent, producing long horizontal branches up to 1.5 metres long[
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.
,
464
Title
A Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon
Publication
 
Author
Trimen H.; continued by Hooker J.D.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Dulau and Co; London.
Year
1898
ISBN
 
Description
Very dated, but still a useful work. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant is related to the better known patchouli (Pogostemon cablin), but is considered to be inferior to that species. It is widely cultivated for its fragrant leaves, especially in India, but mostly on a minor scale[
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.
,
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
]. The cultivation for its essential oil has been largely abandoned[
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.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

464
Title
A Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon
Publication
 
Author
Trimen H.; continued by Hooker J.D.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Dulau and Co; London.
Year
1898
ISBN
 
Description
Very dated, but still a useful work. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
486
Title
Bulletin of The Natural History Museum, Botany Series. Vol 27 No. 2
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Natural History Museum; London
Year
1997
ISBN
 
Description
Contains a treatment of the genus Pogostemon, including ethnobotanical uses. Can be downloaded from the Internet.

Range

E. Asia - India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines.

Habitat

Moist regions at elevations up to 1,800 metres, especially in the montane zone[
464
Title
A Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon
Publication
 
Author
Trimen H.; continued by Hooker J.D.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Dulau and Co; London.
Year
1898
ISBN
 
Description
Very dated, but still a useful work. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Thickets, old clearings, coconut plantations and stream banks, at elevations from sea-level up to 1,800 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

Edibility Rating *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Perennial
Height1.50 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details



Plants can flower all year round[
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 have a faint, pleasant scent[
464
Title
A Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon
Publication
 
Author
Trimen H.; continued by Hooker J.D.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Dulau and Co; London.
Year
1898
ISBN
 
Description
Very dated, but still a useful work. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Edible Uses

The dried herb is used in the preparation of a country spirit[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].

Medicinal

The leaves are antiasthmatic, carminative, diuretic and stomachic[
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.
,
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
]. They are used in the treatment of stomach and skin diseases, to treat coughs and asthma[
486
Title
Bulletin of The Natural History Museum, Botany Series. Vol 27 No. 2
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Natural History Museum; London
Year
1997
ISBN
 
Description
Contains a treatment of the genus Pogostemon, including ethnobotanical uses. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. They are generally given with the seeds of tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) in cases of scanty urine and biliousness[
486
Title
Bulletin of The Natural History Museum, Botany Series. Vol 27 No. 2
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Natural History Museum; London
Year
1997
ISBN
 
Description
Contains a treatment of the genus Pogostemon, including ethnobotanical uses. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. They could possibly be used in the treatment of cancer[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
,
486
Title
Bulletin of The Natural History Museum, Botany Series. Vol 27 No. 2
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Natural History Museum; London
Year
1997
ISBN
 
Description
Contains a treatment of the genus Pogostemon, including ethnobotanical uses. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The powdered dry leaves are used as a cephalic snuff in native medicine[
464
Title
A Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon
Publication
 
Author
Trimen H.; continued by Hooker J.D.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Dulau and Co; London.
Year
1898
ISBN
 
Description
Very dated, but still a useful work. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

A decoction made from the roots is sometimes used in the treatment of dropsy[
486
Title
Bulletin of The Natural History Museum, Botany Series. Vol 27 No. 2
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Natural History Museum; London
Year
1997
ISBN
 
Description
Contains a treatment of the genus Pogostemon, including ethnobotanical uses. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Other Uses

An essential oil is distilled from the leaves[
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.
]. It is much inferior to patchouli oil (from Pogostemon cablin) but small quantities are occasionally produced in India for local use or as an adulterant for patchouli oil[
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.
]. One of the most important sources of patchouli oil, which is extracted from the dried tops[
486
Title
Bulletin of The Natural History Museum, Botany Series. Vol 27 No. 2
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Natural History Museum; London
Year
1997
ISBN
 
Description
Contains a treatment of the genus Pogostemon, including ethnobotanical uses. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is very rich in volatile terpenoids[
486
Title
Bulletin of The Natural History Museum, Botany Series. Vol 27 No. 2
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Natural History Museum; London
Year
1997
ISBN
 
Description
Contains a treatment of the genus Pogostemon, including ethnobotanical uses. Can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

The leaves are placed amongst clothes to impart a pleasant smell and also to repel insects[
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.
,
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].

The crushed leaves have been used to wash clothes[
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 of half-ripe wood 5 - 10cm long[
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. 2024-12-03. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Pogostemon+heyneanus>

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