Rank Species | Scientific name Lippia alba | |
 | ||
Similar Lippia, Verbenaceae, Lippia graveolens, Aloysia, Justicia pectoralis | ||
Lippia alba is a species of flowering plant in the verbena family, Verbenaceae, that is native to southern Texas in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. The species is also present in Australia and India, where it is probably a human introduction. Common names include bushy matgrass, bushy lippia, hierba negra, and pitiona. It is a multi-branched shrub, reaching a height of 1.5 m (4.9 ft). Leaves measure 1 to 3 cm (0.39 to 1.18 in) in length and 0.9 to 2 cm (0.35 to 0.79 in) in width and are opposite or in threes. Flowers with white, pink, or light blue-purple corollas form on spikes 2 cm (0.79 in) long.
Uses
Bushy lippia is commonly grown as an ornamental plant, valued for its aromatic leaves and attractive flowers. The composition of essential oils in bushy lippia varies with each specimen but can include components such as piperitone, geranial, neral, caryophyllene, camphor, eucalyptol, limonene, carvone, germacrene, α-guaiene, β-ocimene, linalool, and myrcene. The leaves of the plant are utilized in culinary applications, notably in flavoring mole sauces from Oaxaca, Mexico. Additionally, bushy lippia is recognized for its medicinal uses, possessing somatic, sedative, antidepressant, and analgesic properties.
