2000 seeds of Scutellaria barbata, barbed scullcap

 

Scutellaria barbata is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to Asia. Its English common name is barbed skullcap.

 

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.

 

As an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine it is known as Ban Zhi Lian. It has been tested in clinical trials for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Extracts induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells in laboratory studies. The plant is used as an herbal remedy for inflammation and traumatic injury.