Pignut or Chan

Description:

Erect, strongly aromatic, branched, annual or short-lived perennial herb, up to 3 m tall. It starts its vegetative phase either from perennating rootstock or seeds, with the onset of monsoon rains. Its stem is quadrate and bears hair. Leaves are oppositely arranged, 2–10 cm long, with shallowly toothed margins, and emit a strong minty odor if crushed. Lower surface of the leaves bears hairs. It produces copious blue flowers in small cymes along branch that ends with reduced leaves. Sepal tube is hairy in nature and is nearly 0.5 cm long in flower while it enlarges to 1 cm long in fruit and become ribbed. Flowers are blue, 2-lipped, about 8 mm long, with a limb 5 mm in diameter. The flower has 4 stamens. The flowers are pollinated by a large number of pollinators leading to enormous seed production. Flowering: October-February.