I.C. Hedge
Rabdosia coetsa (Such. -Ham. ex D. Don) Hara
Perennial aromatic herb, woody at base, 40-120 cm, Stems erect, widely branching, quadrangular, leafy, pubescent with short adpressed, retrorse, simple hairs or glabrescent. Leaves thin-textured, 4-10 x 2.5-6 cm, ovate to broadly ovate, acuminate, serrate, cuneate, with a sparse indumentum of very short eglandular simple hairs above and below and on lower surface densely gland-dotted; petiole up to 4 cm, somewhat winged. Cymes on short slender peduncles forming lateral and terminal racemes. Pedicels slender 1.5-2 mm, spreading-erect. Calyx in flower c. 2 mm, green or purplish with antrorse white hairs and sessile glands; teeth subequal, broad triangular; fruiting calyx c. 4 mm, obliquely campanulate, curved. Corolla pale violet or purplish, c. 6 mm; tube c. 3 mm long rather broad, clearly gibbous at base; lips diverging, lower cucullate entire clearly longer than upper shallowly lobed lip. Nutlets oblong, c. 1.2 x 0.8 mm, smooth, pale or dark brown, mucilaginous on wetting.
Fl. Per.: August-September. Fr. September-October.
Type: Nepal, ad Narainhetty, [Buchanan] Hamilton.
Distribution: Pakistan, Kashmir, Himalayas to Nepal and Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, China.
A widespread Himalayan and Indian species at its westernmost extremity in our area. It usually grows in shaded places or in woodland habitats.