Stemodia viscosa Roxb.

국표에 없다.

Belonging to the family Plantaginaceae, Stemodia viscosa is an erect aromatic perennial herb, that can grow up to about 1 metre high.

Can be found growing across Central Australia, especially common in damp and sheltered areas along creeks and gorges. Pictured was found growing in the Todd River, very close to a pool of water that was still in the river bed. Also common in the Top End and Western Australia.

The branches/stems, leaves and bracteoles have dense glandular hairs. The leaves are 30-60 mm long and are arranged opposite or in whorls of 3 basal leaves. The leaves are obovate to elliptic in shape with margins serrate.

The flowers in racemes or panicles that are borne singly in axils of leafy bracts with corollas purple inside and with a yellow patch inside.

It’s fragrant leaves is known to be used as a medicine for colds and flus by the local Aboriginal people.

Stemodia viscosa – Ausemade

Taxon Profile of Stemodia viscosa Roxb. | Florabase (dbca.wa.gov.au)

Glandular-hairy herb; branchlets ascending. Leaves decussate or ternate, elliptic-oblong, to 3 x 1 cm, pubescent, base auriculate, margin serrate, apex acute; leaves of flowering shoots diminutive. Flowers axillary, to 3 per node, forming a leafy, terminal raceme; bracts and bracteoles present; pedicel to 1 cm. Calyx-lobes 5, linear-lanceolate, subequal, pilose. Corolla blue to violet, 6 x 4 mm; tube 1 cm; lobes 2+3, unequal, upper larger. Stamens 4, didynamous, included; filament pairs filiform, similar, 3.5 and 5 mm; anthers disjunct, unequal. Ovary imperfectly 4-celled; style dilated at base; stigma 2-lobed. Capsule oblong, 7 mm, septicidal and loculicidal; valves 2; seeds oblong.

Stemodia viscosa Roxb. | Species (indiabiodiversity.org)

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