Boraginaceae FAMILY

Onosma hispida

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

3/5

Safety & Hazards

There are no reports of toxicity for this species, but the following report for Onosma echioides should be borne in mind[ K Title Plants for a Future Author Ken Fern Description Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips. ]. The bristly stems and leaves can cause a good deal of irritation to the skin[ 219 Title Gardening on Walls Publication Author Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Publisher Collins Year 1983 ISBN 0-00-219220-0 Description A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls. ].

Botanical Description

Onosma hispida is a herbaceous perennial plant growing from a prominent taproot; it produces a cluster of mostly unbranched stems, growing up to 70cm tall[ 2025 Title Ethnobotany of the Himalayas Publication Author Kunwar R.M., Sher H. & Bussmann R.W. (Eds) Website https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57408-6 Publisher Springer Nature; Switzerland Year 2021 ISBN 978-3-030-57407-9 Description ]. The plant is a commonly used medicinal herb in India, where it is gathered in quantity from the wild for local use and for trade[ 2020 Title Trade in Indian Medicinal Plants Publication Ethnobotany of India Vol 5., 321-345, 2018 Author D.K.Ved, S.Noorunnisa Begum, & K.Ravi Kumar Publisher Apple Academic Press; Oakville, Canada Year 2018 ISBN 978-1-77188-600-0 Description ]. It is also harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a colouring.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeE. Asia - western Himalayas of Afghanistan, Pakistan and northwest India.

HabitatDry, rocky and savannah slopes, 1,700 - 2,000 metres in Kashmir[ 145 Title Forest Flora of Srinagar. Publication Author Singh. Dr. G. and Kachroo. Prof. Dr. P. Publisher Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh Year 1976 ISBN - Description A good flora of the western Himalayas but poorly illustrated. Some information on plant uses. ]. Found at elevations up to 4,000 metres[ 51 Title Flowers of the Himalayas. Publication Author Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Publisher Oxford Universtiy Press Year 1984 ISBN - Description A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses. ].