''Mesosphaerum suaveolens'',
synonym ''Hyptis suaveolens'', the pignut or chan, is a branching
pseudocereal
A pseudocereal or pseudograin is one of any non-grasses that are used in much the same way as cereals (true cereals are grasses). Pseudocereals can be further distinguished from other non-cereal staple crops (such as potatoes) by their being pro ...
plant native to
tropical
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in
the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...
regions of
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
,
Central
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
, the
West Indies
The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...
, and
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
, as well as being naturalized in tropical parts of
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
,
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
and
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. It is generally tall, occasionally up to .
Stems are hairy, and square in cross section.
Leaves
A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...
are oppositely arranged, long, with shallowly toothed margins, and emit a strong minty odor if crushed.
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
s are pink or purple, arranged in clusters of 1–5 in the upper leaf
axils.
Traditional Uses
Studies have found that ''M. suaveolens'' is effective as an
insecticide.
[Cyrille Adda, Pierre Atachi, Kerstin Hell, and Manuele Tamò. Potential use of the Bushmint, ''M. suaveolens'', for the Control of Infestation by the Pink Stalk Borer, ''Sesamia calamistis'', on Maize in Southern Benin, West Africa](_blank)
/ref>Conti et al. ''Hyptis suaveolens'' and ''Hyptis spicigera'' (''Lamiaceae'') essential oils:qualitative analysis, contact toxicity and repellent activity against ''Sitophilus granarius''.
/ref>
''Mesosphaerum suaveolens'' can be made into a refreshing drink by soaking the seeds in water and refrigerating the mix. Some people add lemon
The lemon (''Citrus limon'') is a species of small evergreen trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, native to Asia, primarily Northeast India (Assam), Northern Myanmar or China.
The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culin ...
or other citrus
''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering plant, flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as Orange (fruit), oranges, Lemon, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and lim ...
to improve the taste. In Colima, Mexico, people use the ''M. suaveolens'' seeds to prepare a traditional beverage called "Bate." The process consists in roasting and grinding the seeds and then mixing the resulting powder with water. ''M. suaveolens'' is also a traditional treatment for diarrhea
Diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements each day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration due to fluid loss. Signs of dehydration often begin w ...
.
See also
* ''Salvia hispanica
''Salvia hispanica'', commonly known as chia (), is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala. It is considered a pseudocereal, cultivated for its edible, hydrophilic chia ...
''
References
External links
Making Chan drink (spanish)
Using Chan as insecticide (spanish)
Evaluation as Alternative Crop for Food and Drugs (spanish)
Chan used as diarrhea treatment (spanish)
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q2235341, from2=Q50846819
Lamiaceae
Edible nuts and seeds
Flora of Mexico
Flora of Central America
Flora of South America
Flora of the Caribbean
Plants described in 1759
Flora without expected TNC conservation status