Cynoglossum lanceolatum Forskál

Very common and widely distributed from sea level to 2500 m.

Used medicinally.

Erect much branched, biennial or perennial herb up to 120 cm tall. Stem and branches covered with rigid white hairs 1-2 mm long, arising from tuberculate base. Basal leaves petiolate, lanceolate, including petioles 10-20 x 2-4 cm, upper surface covered uniformly with thin subappressed hairs mixed with longer stouter hairs arising from tuberculate base; lower surface densely hairy, nervose. Cauline leaves similar, but smaller and subsessile. Cymes axillary and terminal, geminate to dichotomous branched, much elongating in fruit. Pedicels very short in flower, up to 3 mm and reflexed in fruit. Calyx lobes densely hairy to externally, glabrous within, up to 2 mm long in fruit, spreading Corolla pale blue to almost white with ovate-obtuse lobes. Throat scales broader than long. Nutlets ± round, c. 2 mm, dorsal area uniformly appendiculate; appendages erect, ± of equal length, glochidiate, bases not confluent. Style up to 1 mm in fruit, ± stout.

Herbs perennial, 20-90 cm tall. Stems erect, branched from middle or below, densely hispid, hairs discoid at base; branches spreading. Basal and lower stem leaves petiolate, oblong-lanceolate, 8-14 × ca. 3 cm, abaxially densely pubescent, adaxially hispid and densely appressed pubescent, hairs discoid at base, base attenuate, apex acute; upper stem leaves sessile or short petiolate, lanceolate, smaller. Inflorescences terminal and axillary; branches spreading at an obtuse angle, ebracteate. Pedicel 1-1.5 mm, scarcely elongated in fruit. Calyx 1-1.5 mm; lobes ovate, densely short appressed pubescent outside, glabrous inside, slightly enlarged in fruit, apex obtuse. Corolla light blue, campanulate, 1.5-2.5 mm; throat appendages lunate; limb 2-2.5 mm wide. Anthers ovoid, ca. 0.5 mm. Style tetragonous, ca. 1 mm. Nutlets ovoid-globose, 2-2.5 mm, abaxially concave, with dense glochids, marginal glochids not confluent at base. Fl. and fr. Apr-Sep. 2n = 24.

Africa, W. Asia, Himalaya, India, Ceylon, Burma, east to China, Malaysia.

Distribution: Africa (except N.W.), Arabia, Pakistan, Kashmir, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Nepal, eastward to China, Malaysia.

Fujian, S Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Henan, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Cambodia, N India, Kashmir, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, N Thailand; Africa, SW and W Asia]

150-3200 m

Fl. Per.: June-August.

Hills, meadows, roadsides; 300-2800 m.

Cynoglossum canescens Willdenow; C. hirsutum Thunberg; C. micranthum Poiret; C. racemosum Roxburgh.

Cynoglossum lanceolatum Forssk. is closely related to and grades into Cynoglossum coeruleum Hochst. ex A.DC. It is a much-branched biennial plant, occurring widely with an anthropogenic distribution, harvested from the wild and used as both food and medicine. This species was first described by the Swede Peter Forsskål in 1775 in Flora Aegyptiaco-Arabica 41.

Parts of the plant are used as a diaphoretic, a colic medicine for children, a diuretic expectorant, and as a febrifuge and vermifuge. A poultice made from crushed plant parts is applied to wounds by the Basuto, while the roots are used in the treatment of eye ailments. The plant is used in soup. Tests for bitters, alkaloid, volatile oil, hydrocyanic acid, saponin and triterpenoids have proven negative.