Stachytarpheta jamaicensis | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Verbenaceae |
Genus: | Stachytarpheta |
Species: | S. jamaicensis |
Binomial name | |
Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl |
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Synonyms | |
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Stachytarpheta jamaicensis Is a species of plant in the Verbenaceae family, native throughout the Caribbean. It has many common names including blue porterweed, blue snake weed, bastard vervain, Brazilian tea, Jamaica vervain, and light-blue snakeweed. It is unclear whether S. indica is a separate species. It is usually found along country roadsides and it grows also well as a ruderal plant on disturbed terrain. It is an invasive species in some places.
This plant can be also found on St. Croix, where it is locally known as "worryvine".
The fresh leaves are consumed in bush tea as a “cooling” tonic and blood cleanser, to treat “asthma” and “ulcerated stomachs”.
Tea brewed from this species has been shown to cause a dose-dependent "fall in [the] blood pressure" of normal rabbits. However, the tea has also been observed to cause a "mild non-dose dependent systematic toxicity" in various tissues throughout the body, "such as congestion, fatty changes, and necrosis in liver, blood vessels, kidney, lung and testis, but the brain, eyes, intestines and heart were essentially normal."
in Talakona forest, in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, India.
In Talakona forest
In Talakona forest
In Talakona forest
In Kerala