Salvia apiana

Salvia apiana

The White sage or Indian Smoking (Salvia apiana ) is a species of the genus sage (Salvia ) in the mint family ( Lamiaceae). It is native to North America.

Description

The White sage grows as an evergreen perennial herb to subshrub, reaching heights of growth of up to 1 meter. The primarily undergraduate, highly aromatic leaves are broadly lanceolate with finely serrated leaf edge with a length of 4 to 8 cm. The leaf surface is dense and pressed with fine, simple hairs ( trichomes ) covered by the leaves are whitish.

The flowers are too few in groups with reflexed, linear- lanceolate bracts, within a complex design total inflorescence. The hermaphrodite flowers are zygomorphic and fünfzählig. White to pale violet. The five 8 to 10 mm long sepals are fused, the upper lip is not divided. The white with lavender petals are fused into a 12 to 22 mm long tube; the upper lip, is smaller than 2 mm; 4 to 5 mm long lower lip is bent upward, and blocks the pharynx. Stamens and style protrude beyond the corolla tube. The Klaus fruit decays in 2.5 to 3 mm long, light brown, shiny nutlets.

Occurrence

The White sage is found mainly in the U.S. Southwest (Nevada, California, Mojave and Sonoran desert ) and in northwestern Mexico.

The preferred location is fully exposed to the sun, rather dry, especially in winter.

Use

Even the Native Americans used "white say" as incense. He is part of the so-called " Smudge sticks ": herb bundle, which are lit at one end; the flame is then blown out and the embers zugefächert air.

Sometimes this type is misleading also known as prairie sagebrush steppe or sagebrush, but these trivial names already wearing an American Artemisia tridentata Beifußart, although as part of the Räucherkultur of the Indians, however, has nothing to do with the White Sage.

Like most sage species also has the white sage good skin cleansing, disinfecting properties; He may ingested as an infusion affect excessive sweating cheap.