Bonnaya antipoda (L.) Druce

Pesisat (Bonnaya antipoda) is an annual or perennial herb up to 30 cm tall of the Linderniaceae family, native to Asia and distributed as far as Africa and the Americas. This plant is one of the ingredients in the signature Karo oil of North Sumatra. Pesisat is traditionally believed to relieve earache, dysentery, and postpartum pain.

Can grow up to elevations of 1,700 m above sea level, near water sources such as rivers, rice fields and grasslands. Grows in moist and wet soil, rainfall more than 60 mm/month for tropical regions. Grows well in both bright and shaded areas.

• Root fibrous, white or brown in color.
• Stem square, solid, hairless, roots can grow at every node, 5-30 cm long, smooth surface.
• Leaves compound, oblong-shaped, serrated edges with a tapering tip, 1-4 cm long, 0.5-1 cm wide.
• Flowers single, growing in axils or at stem nodes, stalk 4-15 mm, pale blue with white decoration in the center, and two tongue-like yellow lines which are the stamens, smooth surface.
• Seeds three-sided, length ranging 0.37-0.41 mm, and width 0.23-0.31 mm.

• Propagated generatively, with its seed.
• Not yet cultivated, generally grows as a weed.

Polyphenol, flavonoid, flavonol.

Treats earache, fungus in the mouth, dysentery, worm infections, fever, pain after childbirth, promotes menstruation, inflammation of itchy skin and blistered skin, vertigo, diarrhea.

• Wash the whole pesisat plant thoroughly.
• Dry in the shade, until completely dry.
• Grind the dried material into powder.
• Store in an airtight container.

Mata yuyu, Bulung manis (Karo).