Native to Mediterranean region and Central Asia. It is available throughout Europe. It is naturalized in New Zealand, Argentina, and Eastern United States.
Shapes
Ovoid, 12 mm long
Black horehound is a perennial plant which belongs to Lamiaceae family. Native to Mediterranean region and Central Asia, this plant grows to 3 feet high. It could be found all over Europe and Eastern regions of United States. Black Horehound is also known as Black (Stinking) Horehound, Black Archangel, Black Hoarhound, Fetid Horehound, Stinking Roger, Ballota, Ballote fétide, Ballota nigra, Ballote Noire, Ballote vulgaire, Ballote puante, Black stinking horehound, Marrube Noir, Marrube fétide and Horehound Black. The herb blooms from May to August. It has fibroid and wood like root. Leaves are stalked, pale green with coarsely serrated margins which appears on the stem in pairs. Flowers are hermaphrodite and form in crowded and compact whorls with reddish to purple hue.
The plant prefers well-drained and moist soil. Black horehound plant prefers full sunlight and partial shade. It grows in wild so it should be kept away from acid soils and is able to tolerate low pH to 5. It is able to bear low temperatures to -10 to -5 ° C. It is found in waysides, hedgerows and waste ground on disturbed nutrient rich soils in areas which ranges from full shade to no shade. The term Ballota was derived from the Greek word ballo which means to reject and nigra refers to black color of dried leaves. Black Horehound provides offensive smell and unpleasant odor. It has stout, branching stems with fibrous root system. Black horehound is used as a treatment for bites of mad dogs, snakes, antidote to vegetable poisons and eliminates intestinal worms. Being an emenagogue, it restores the balance of menstrual cycle.
Flower and Fruit
Flowers measures about 1-1.5 cm long. It is made up of five sepals which are fused together in a tube with five teeth. The labiate corolla measures 12-13 mm and its color ranges from pink to purple to white. The corolla has tube of 6 mm with two lips. The lower one is glabrous with two lateral lobes; and the upper one is slightly concave and is externally hairy. It is arranged in 4-10 loose and short stemmed cymes in axils. The superior ovary has two parted stigma and single white style. Calyx is funnel shaped and has five awned tips. Stamens have hairy base and small spreading pollen sacks. The flower later on turns into a nut. Nuts are smooth, ovoid in shape and measures 12 mm long.
Stem and Leaves
Horehound has sturdy, branches, upright and angular stems. The plant is fresh green and pubescent. Leaves are opposite and decussate, oval to lanceolate to heart shaped with dentate or crenate border. The pubescent, dark green leaves measures 3-8 cm per 2-6 cm and petiole is about 1-3 cm. Lower leaves are ovate to round and are 2 cm long. Leaf blades are 1.5-3.5 cm wide.
