Australian sage
StarSalvia plebeia
Synonyms: Ocimum virgatum, Salvia brachiata, Lumnitzera fastigiata, Salvia minutiflora, Ocimum fastigiatum, Mosla virgata, Salvia plebeia var. latifolia
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Chinese folk medicine the whole plant, known as Li Zhi Cao (荔枝草), is used to treat cough, sore throat, bronchitis, inflammatory conditions, and hepatitis (Bensky; Chinese materia medica).
Botanical Description
Salvia plebeia is an annual or biennial herb in the family Lamiaceae, growing erect to about 30–90 cm tall with the square stems characteristic of the mint family. The stems are branched and finely hairy, bearing opposite, oblong to elliptic leaves with crenate or toothed margins and a wrinkled, rugose surface. The small, pale lilac to bluish-purple two-lipped flowers are arranged in dense, many-flowered whorls forming elongated terminal and axillary racemes or panicles. Each flower has a tubular, bell-shaped calyx and the bilabiate corolla typical of sages. The plant is widely distributed across Asia, Australia, and into parts of the Pacific, growing as a common weed of moist fields, ditches, stream banks, roadsides, and disturbed wet ground. It tolerates a range of conditions and self-seeds freely, completing its life cycle within a single year in most climates.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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