| Binomial |
Vitex negundo L.
|
| Family |
Lamiaceae
|
| Tamil Name |
Nocchi (நொச்சி)
|
| Habit |
Small trees or shrubs, branches pubescent, quadrangular and aromatic.
|
| Flowers |
Small, blue-lavender arranged in panicles.
|
| Fruits |
Drupes globose, purplish black.
|
| Flowering Period |
June to September
|
| Pollinators |
Bees and Butterflies |
| Country of origin |
Eastern Africa, Madagascar and Eastern Asia
|
| About the tree |
A tea can be prepared from the roots and leaves of Vitex negundo. The fresh leaves are burnt with grass and used to control mosquitoes. When stuffed into pillows, the leaves can also relieve headaches. A decoction of the stem is used in treating burns. In Malaysia, traditional herbal medicine employs this species as a post-partum remedy as well as in treatments for regulating the menstrual cycle and fibrocystic breast disease. In similar ways, this tree is widely used in folk medicine, particularly in South and Southeast Asia. |
Go Back