Suppression
White lippia
Category: Medicines - plant based
Type
Voluntary
Introduction and description
Lippia alba is a species of flowering plant in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. Common names include bushy matgrass, bushy lippia, hierba negra, and pitiona. Bushy lippia is widely cultivated as an ornamental for its aromatic foliage and beautiful flowers. The leaves are used for flavoring foods, such as mole sauces from Oaxaca, Mexico. And it has medicinal properties.
Distribution
Lippia alba is native to southern Texas in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. The species is also present in Australia and India, where it is probably a human introduction.
Description
It is a multi-branched shrub, reaching a height of 1.5 m (4.9 ft). Leaves measure 1 to 3 cm (0.39 to 1.18 in) in length and 0.9 to 2 cm (0.35 to 0.79 in) in width and are opposite or in threes. Flowers with white, pink, or light blue-purple corollas form on spikes 2 cm (0.79 in) long.
Medicinal Uses
The essential oil composition is unique to each plant, but may include piperitone, geranial, neral, caryophyllene, camphor, eucalyptol, limonene, carvone, germacrene, α-guaiene, β-ocimene, linalool, or myrcene. The plant is used medicinally for its somatic, sedative, antidepressant, and analgesic properties
Related observations
Healing observations
- Anti-Candida activity of Brazilian medicinal plants 020544
- Dr Duke's list of Chemicals and their Biological Activities in: Lippia alba (MILL.) N.E. BR. (Verbenaceae) -- White Lippia 020549