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  • Oregano

    Origanum vulgare L. has a woody. Stems erect or prostrate near base, 25-60 cm, purplish, retrorse pubescent or slightly floccose-pubescent, numerous, leafless near base, lower branches sterile. Rhizomes oblique, Petiole 2-7 mm; leaf blade ovate to oblong-ovate, 1-4 × 0.4-1.5 cm, glandular, adaxially shiny green tinged purple, sparsely villous, abaxially densely villous, base broadly cuneate to rounded, margin entire or remotely serrulate, apex obtuse to slightly obtuse. Spikes oblong, ± elongated in fruit; floral leaves mostly sessile, purplish; bracts green or purple, oblong-obovate to obovate or oblanceolate, ca. 5 mm, margin entire, apex acute. Calyx ca. 3 mm, minutely hispid or subglabrous; teeth triangular, ca. 0.5 mm. Corolla purple-red to white, tubular-campanulate, 5-7 mm; tube ca. 5 mm, exserted in bisexual flowers, ca. 3 mm, included in pistillate flowers, sparsely pubescent; upper lip ovate, ca. 1.5 mm, apex 2-lobed; lower lip ca. 2 mm, lobes oblong-ovate. Nutlets brown, ca. 0.6 mm, apex rounded. Flowering; July-September, fruiting; October-December.

    Origanum vulgare L.; A-C. Plant; B. Leaf whorl; C. Stem; D-F. Flower; E. Calyx; F. Opened flower with carpel And Stamens.
    Origanum vulgare L.© Rimjhim Chandra
    Origanum vulgare L.© Rimjhim Chandra

  • Wild Basil

    Clinopodium vulgare L. is a Perennial herb with a slender woody rootstock. Stems 30-60 cm, erect or ascending, simple or with few branches, with a retrorse white eglandular indumentum of varying density. Leaves rather thin-textured, ovate, 2-3.5 x 1.2-2 cm, subentire or crenulate-denticulate, rounded at base, pilose, with or without sessile oil globules; petiole up to 12 mm. Verticillasters in axils of upper leaves, densely globose, up to 30- (-40)-flowered, remote, terminal and axillary. Bracts 5-10 mm, subulate-filiform, ciliate. Pedicels erect-spreading, c. 2 mm. Calyx 7-10 mm, curved, green or purplish, with long spreading eglandular hairs, with or without capitate glandular hairs; teeth of upper lip 2.5-3 mm, subulate, of lower lip 3-5 mm upwardly curved; throat with some long eglandular hairs, but not bearded. Corolla rose to purple, 12-15 (-20) mm, soon deciduous; tube not or scarcely exserted from calyx teeth. Thecae glabrous, parallel or diverging. Nutlets pale brown, smooth, subglobose, c. 1 x 0.8 mm, with a white attachment scar.

    Flowering: March-July.

    Clinopodium vulgare L.; A. Plant; B. C. Opened toothed Calyx; D. Inflorescence; E. Dorsal Ventral leaf surface; F-H. Flower; F. Lower lip of Corolla; G. Upper lip of Corolla; H. Calyx with Corolla; I. Trichomes on the stem.

  • Scarlet Sage

    Herbs are annual or biennial. Stems erect, to 70 cm, spreading hirsute, retrorse grey pilose. Petiole 0.5-2 cm; leaf blade ovate to triangular-ovate, 2-5 × 1.5-4 cm, abaxially grey minutely tomentose, base cordate to sub truncate, margin serrate or obtusely serrate, apex acute. Inflorescences densely, retrorse fine white pilose; verticillasters 4- to many flowered, widely spaced, in terminal racemes; bracts ovate, more extended than pedicels, margin ciliate. Pedicel 2-3 mm. Calyx tubular-campanulate, 7-9 mm, finely pilose, puberulent, intermixed with yellowish glands; upper lip ovate, ca. 2.5 × 3 mm, ciliate, apex mucronate; lower lip nearly as long as upper, deeply 2-toothed. Corolla scarlet or deep red, 2-2.3 cm, pubescent; tube ca. 1.6 cm; upper lip shorter than lower; lower lip ca. 7 × 8.5 mm. Stamens exserted; filaments ca. 4 mm; connectives ca. 1.5 mm, slender. Nutlets yellow-brown with blackish spots, obovoid, 1.5-2.5 mm.

    Flowering- Fruiting: April-July.

    Salvia coccinea Buc’hoz ex Etl. A. Plant; B. D. Flower; C. Calyx; E. Stamen; F. Carpel.

  • Crested Flower Lophanthoides

    Isodon lophanthoides (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) H.Hara. Herbs perennial, repent at base, with underground globose root tubers. Stems 0.5-1.5 m tall, erect to ascending, puberulent or pilose, many leafed at base. Stem leaves opposite; petiole equal to or longer than blade; leaf blade broadly lanceolate to ovate, 1.5-20 × 0.5-8.5 cm, papery, minutely hirsute, adaxially olive green, abaxially greenish, sparsely brown glandular, base cuneate to rounded, rarely shallow cordate, margin crenate, apex obtuse to acuminate. Panicles terminal and axillary, 7-20 × 3-6 cm; cymes helicoid, 11-13-flowered, pedunculate; floral leaves bractlike, ovate; bracteoles linear, 3-5 mm, slightly longer than pedicels. Calyx campanulate, ca. 2 mm, ca. 1.7 mm wide at mouth, base sparsely villous outside, sparsely red-brown glandular, 2-lipped to 2/3 its length; teeth ovate-triangular, lower 2 longer; fruiting calyx elongated, 4.5-5 mm. Corolla white or rose, with purple spots on limb, 2-7 mm; tube 3.7-5 mm, straight; upper lip 1.6-2 mm, lower lip slightly longer. Stamens and style much exserted. Nutlets brown, compressed ovoid, ca. 1 × 0.75 mm, glabrous, smooth. Flowering and fruiting:  August-December.

    Isodon lophanthoides; A. Plant; B. D. Dorsal, Ventral leaf surface; C. Hairy stem; E. Inflorescence; F-H. Flower

  •  Himalayan Woundwort

    Stachys splendens Wall. ex Benth.

    Himalayan Woundwort is a perennial herb with erect stems up to 65 cm. Flowers occur in an upright spike. Flowers are reddish pink, up to 1.5 cm, two-lipped. The upper lip is straight like a hood, ovate, 3 mm, margin entire; lower lip up to 6 mm, lateral lobes ovate; middle lobe largest, inverted heart-shaped. Stamens reach the middle of upper lip about 9 mm. Carpel about 9mm, Style slightly protrudes out. The slender stems have many branches. Leaf blade ovate-cordate to oblong-cordate 9 cm. heart-shaped, margin cut into rounded teeth, stalk 0.6-2.5 cm. Floral leaves are stalkless. Himalayan Woundwort is found in the Himalayas, from Kashmir to South East Tibet, at altitudes of 2400-4000 m. Flowering: June-August.

    Stachys splendens Wall. ex Benth.; A. Plant; B. Spike; C. Dorsal and Ventral surface of Lower leaf and floral leaf; D. F. Corolla with Upper and Lower Lip; E. Flower; G. Calyx; H. Seeds; I. Stamens; J. Carpel; K. Root ©RIMJHIM CHANDRA
    Stachys splendens Wall. ex Benth

  • Fox brush orchid

    Aerides multiflora Roxb. has stems 5‒7 cm long, roots densely clustered with well-developed velamen; leaves fleshy, linear-oblong, 15‒20 cm long. carinate or conduplicate, often tinged with red with apex obliquely bifid; Inflorescence a densely flowered axillary pendulous or arching racemes; floral bract brown, scarious, ovate, acute, 3.5×3 mm size; flower 1.75‒2 cm across, pinkish-white; sepals and petals sub-equal, oblong; lip longer than sepals, adnate to column base, indistinctly 3-lobed,mid-lobe broad, ovate, apex acute; spur small; nearly straight; pollinia 2; fruit a loculicidal capsule, 2.5‒3 cm across.

    Aerides multiflora Roxb. A. Plant; B. ‒Dorsal sepal, petal and lateral sepal; C. Lip; D. Column Side View; E. Flower Bud; F. loculicidal capsule; G. Flower; H. Aerial Roots.

  • Stinking Bluebeard 

    Pseudocaryopteris foetida (D.Don)

    Stinking Bluebeard is a straggling shrub, often purplish or brownish in color. Leaves are lanceshaped or elliptic,1.5-11.5 cm, 2-3.5 cm broad, toothed to nearly entire, long-pointed, stalked, velvet-hairy. Flowers are born in short clusters in leaf axils, 1.5-2 cm long. Flowers are small, 5-6 mm across, white or purplish. Flower bud 5mm. Bracts are 2-3 mm long, somewhat subulate, pubescent. Sepal tube is 2.5-3.5 mm long, with spreading sepals in fruit, divided half-way down but scarcely enlarged in fruit. Calyx about 5mm. Flower-tube is 3-3.5 mm long, petals 3.5-5 mm long, lower larger. Lower two lobe 5mm. Stamens protrude out 6mm. Carpel 7mm. Capsules are 2.5-4 mm long, nearly spherical, hairless, slightly 4-lobed, red when ripe. Stinking Bluebeard is found in the Himalayas, from Kumaun to Nepal, other parts of India and Pakistan, at altitudes of 1200-2200 m. Flowering: February-May.

    Pseudocaryopteris foetida (D.Don); A. G. Dorsal and Ventral surface of leaf; B-H. Flower; B. Flower cluster; C. Calyx; D. Single flower with lower mid lobe; E; Upper two lobe; F. Lower lobe; H. Carpel; I. Stamen; J. Flower bud. ©RIMJHIM CHANDRA

  • Creeping Skullcap, Prostrate Skullcap

    Scutellaria repens Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don

    Perennial, scrambling, suffruticose herb; root system unknown. Stems up to 1.5 m, ascending, quadrangular, leafy, with usually lateral flowering branches; indumentum of long, white, antrorse, eglandular hairs, usually with patent, glandular hairs above. Lower leaves narrow oblong-ovate, 9-45 x 6-19 mm, decreasing in size up the stem, serrate, rounded-cuneate, acute; upper leaves broad oblong-ovate, 2-6 x 2-3 mm, entire, cuneate, obtuse or acute; indumentum on lower leaves of short dense eglandular hairs, on upper leaves longer with glandular hairs, usually with sessile glands abaxially. Lower leaf petioles 2-10 mm, c. 1 mm above. Inflorescence lax, axillary. Flowers secund, in axils of upper, bract-like leaves. Pedicels 2-4 mm, erect or spreading-erect, usually with small basal scales, sometimes flattened. Calyx c. 1.5 mm with a small scutellum in flower, enlarging in fruit to 3 mm with a 3 mm high scutellum; indumentum similar to that of inflorescence axis but longer. Corolla yellow-pale violet, 14-17 mm, with glandular or eglandular pilose hairs, erect or spreading-erect, tube 8-10 mm, slender at base. Nutlets smooth; black, covered with white adpressed hairs, 1.2 x 0.8 mm.

    Flowering Period.: September-October.

    Scutellaria repens Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don; A. Plant; B. Ventral surface of lower leaves ; C. Dorsal surface of upper leaves; D. Side view of flower with calyx and Corolla; E. Ventral view of flower with Corolla tube; F. Stamens; G. Carpel ©Rimjhim Chandra

     

    Scutellaria repens Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don

     

  • Small-flowered bugleweed

    Ajuga parviflora Benth.

    Annual (?) or short-lived perennial. Stems spreading or ascending, 10-25 cm, usually unbranched, with a sparse to dense eglandular indumentum of long villous multicellular hairs. Leaves rosette-forming or not, variable in size, up to 45 x 25 mm, obovate-spathulate to elliptic, entire to crenate, narrowed into petiole, entire to irregularly crenate, with multicellular eglandular hairs, thin-textured; petiole on basal leaves up to 20 mm; cauline leaves smaller than basal and decreasing up the stem. The inflorescence is unbranched of up to 18 distant or approximating 8-12-flowered verticillasters. Calyx 2.5-4 mm with a similar indumentum to stem and with or without sessile oil globules, campanulate; teeth triangular lanceolate, acute, as long as the tube; basally enlarged as nutlets mature. Corolla pink, bluish-white to white, 5-6 (-8) mm, pilose; tube slender, shortly exserted from calyx lobes. Stamens are usually included in corolla tubes. Nutlets pale brown, transversely rugose with prominent ridges, c. 1.5 x 1 mm.

    Fl. Per.: March-June.

    Ajuga parviflora Benth.; A. Plant; B. C. D. Inflorescence; E. Trichomes on stem; F. Ventral view of flower; G. Dorsal view of flower; H. Carpel; I. Opened calyx; J. K. Ventral, Dorsal surface of leaf; L. Root. ©Rimjhim Chandra.

  • Bengal shrub-mint

    Pogostemon benghalensis (Burm.f.) Kuntze

    Shrub 1-2 m, aromatic. Stems often purplish, tomentose with short eglandular hairs, leafy. Leaves broadly ovate, herbaceous, up to 12 x 7 cm, finely serrate, rounded or cuneate at base, acute-acuminate, pubescent to velvety below and finely gland-dotted. Inflorescence of axillary and terminal sturdy often 1-sided spikes forming a panicle; verticillasters 6-12-flowered, congested. Bracts broad ovate, often purplish, 6-8 mm long, imbricate; bracteoles present. Calyx 4-5 mm with short eglandular hairs and oil globules on tube and longer ciliate hairs on teeth; tube internally pilose at throat; teeth subequal, triangular-lanceolate, c. 1.2 mm. Corolla cream or purplish pink, c.8 mm, lips diverging; tube slender, c. 5 mm long and c. 0.5 mm diameter in central part; upper lip 3-lobed, lower 1-lobed, entire. Stamens clearly exserted beyond corolla lobes; filaments with long purple hairs; thecae very small, ± circular, 1-locular. Nutlets c. 0.9 x 0.6 mm shiny reddish-brown, scarcely trigonous, not truncate.

    Fl. Per.: March-May.

    Pogostemon benghalensis; A. Plant; B. Stamen; C. Carpel; D. G. Inflorescence; E. Calyx; F. Leaf; H. Flower and Calyx ©RIMJHIM CHANDRA
    Poliination In Pogostemon benghalensis