Kutki is a small herb with spoon-shaped, 5-15 cm
long leaves, almost all at the base. Leaves are coarsely toothed,
narrowed to a winged stalk. Rhizomes of the plant are 15-25 cm long and
woody. Flowers are small, pale or purplish blue, borne in cylindric
spikes, spikes borne on almost leafless erect stems. Flowers about 8
mm, 5-lobed to the middle, and with much long stamens. Fruits are 1.3
cm long. Flowering stems are usually longer than the leaves. Kutki is
found in the Himalayas, from Pakistan to Uttarakhand, at altitudes of
3300-4300 m. Flowering: June-August.
Medicinal uses:
It is a well-known herb in the Ayurveda and has been used to treat
disorders of the liver and upper respiratory tract, chronic diarrhea,
and scorpion sting.
Identification credit: Suresh Rana
Photographed in Paddar Valley, Jammu & Kashmir.
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The flower labeled Kutki is ...