Lippia javanica stem-tip

The leaves of Lippia javanica are among the strongly aromatic ones found on South African shrubs; a bouquet that lingers when the leaves are dry.

Call it a verbena scent, lemon fragrance or whatever soothing, pleasing association it might bring, grandmothers used it in wardrobe potpourris, tied it in cloth sachets for hot baths, made teas and medicines of it; the aroma teasing the mind later to relive the memories.

The opposite leaves fold in very slightly in the photo along their recessed midribs. Ascending lateral leaf veins curve in, avoiding the margins. Add the net-veining and the leaves have a coarse surface texture.

Look again: the tiny toothing upon the leaf margins confirm that these edges are not entire. The smallest leaf pairs are yellow-green, also growing from upper leaf axils, the erect shrub branching much.

Shrubs reach heights of 1 m to 1,5 m (Van Wyk and Malan, 1997; Roberts, 1990).