Flemingia strobilifera – Luck Plant, Wild Hops

Description

An upright or scrambling shrub to about 2 m tall with oblong leaves and terminal flower stalks with large, green bracts. It is widely distributed in secondary vegetation and disturbed areas from the Himalayas to tropical southeastern Asia between 200 and 1600 m. Flemingia strobilifera is an important medicinal plant and also makes a nice ornamental for tropical and some warm temperate climates.

In Bangladesh it is used as a traditional medicine to treat epilepsy, hysteria and fever. It is an essential part of the Bihu (??? ????) festival, during which the cattle are washed and gently beaten with twigs of this plant. It is known as makhiyoti (????????) in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam.