| Scutellaria barbata | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Scutellaria |
| Species: | S. barbata
|
| Binomial name | |
| Scutellaria barbata D.Don.
| |
Scutellaria barbata, the barbed skullcap,[1] is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to Asia.[2]
It is a perennial herb generally reaching up to 35 centimeters tall, sometimes taller. The lightly toothed leaves are somewhat lance-shaped or triangular and up to about 3 centimeters long. The flowers are borne on pedicels that have tiny, sharp bracteoles. The purple-blue, lightly hairy flower corolla is roughly a centimeter long. The plant grows in moist and wet habitat, such as paddy fields.[2]
The herb grows on the flat-lands in South Central China. It is usually harvested at the end of summer.[3]
The herb is used to as a medicine to treat cancer. However, there have been multiple reports that patients who were treated with the herb struggled with inflammation and infection.[4]
They are also used to treat hepatitis, appendicitis, pulmonary abscess, and ascites due to cirrhosis.