Strobilanthes tonkinensis Lindau

Paris (Strobilanthes tonkinensis) is an aromatic herb 50-100 cm tall from the Acanthaceae family native to Yunnan Province, China, popular as an herbal tea with a distinctive glutinous rice-like aroma in Southern China. In North Sumatra, its leaves are used in making Karo oil. Paris is traditionally believed to reduce fever and help treat diabetes.

Paris grows in moist forests at elevations of 200-1,500 m asl.

• Stem puberulent, 4-angled, hairless, fragrant when dry. Petiole up to 2 cm, puberulent.
• Leaves broadly oblong-elliptic, 18.5 × 6 cm in size, both surfaces sparsely hairy especially on the veins, upper leaf surface with prominent cell walls, secondary veins 4-7 on each side of the primary vein, base tapering and the vein merging into the petiole, margin crenate, apex acute.
• Inflorescence terminal, a simple raceme, 3-11 cm, sometimes with branches arising from the apical leaf axils; rachis puberulent with gland-tipped trichomes; bracts linear-spatulate, 10-12 × 2-2.5 mm, sparsely puberulent and gland-tipped puberulent, densely covered with white cystoliths, 1-veined; bracteoles linear, 5 × 1 mm, puberulent, abaxially densely covered with cystoliths. Calyx 5-lobed to the base; lobes linear, 8-9 × 1 mm, subequal, puberulent, outside covered with prominent cystoliths. Corolla pink to pure white, 3.2 cm, straight, hairless outside, hairless inside except for trichomes retaining the pistil; the basal tube cylindrical and 2 mm wide, gradually widening to a 1 cm mouth after 1 cm; lobes orbicular, 5 mm in diameter. Stamens 4, included; the shorter filament pair 4 mm, hairless; the longer filament pair 7 mm, pubescent; anther thecae oblong, 3 mm; pollen type 4. Ovary ovate, 3 mm, gland-tipped pilose at the tip, style 1.5 cm, smooth.
• Fruit a narrowly oblong-ovate capsule, 8-10 × 2.5 mm, gland-tipped pilose, 4-seeded, tip (rounded-tapering) apiculate.
• Seeds ovate, 2 × 2 mm in size, puberulent; areola small, hairless.

Propagation can be done by tissue culture as this plant has become increasingly rare.

Triterpene (squalene), ethyl pipecolinate, 2-acetyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine, 1-(2-pyridinyl), 1-hepten-3-one, 3-octanone, 3-octanol, 1-(2-pyridinyl)-ethanone, 2-acetylpiperidine, 1-(3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2-pyridyl)-1-propanone and 1-(1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2-pyridyl)-1-propanone.

Reduces fever, helps in treating diabetes. Has a number of activities such as antiviral, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and anticoagulant.

Information not known. Further research is needed.