Brahmi / Memory Plant
Bacopa monnieri
Also known as Thyme-Leaved Grateola, Bacopa
- Habit
- Herb
- Found in India
- Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka & more
- Flowering
- Throughout the year
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Bacopa monnieri
- Genus
- Bacopa
- Family
- Scrophulariaceae
- Habit
- Herb
- Habitat
- Low lying marshy places and water puddles
- Habitat type
- Wetland
- Distribution
- Paleotropics
- Found in India
- Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat
- Flowering & fruiting
- Throughout the year
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (LC)
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Opposite
Recorded for Brahmi.
Flower & fruit characters
Typical of the Scrophulariaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.
Local Names
- Hindi
- बाम baam, ब्राह्यी brahmi, जलबूटी jalbuti, adha-birni
- Nepali
- ब्राह्मी Braahmee, मेधा गिरी Medhaa Giree
- Bengali
- ব্রাহ্মিশাক brahmisaka
- Tamil
- நீர்ப்பிரமி nir-p-pirami, பிரமி piramiyam, தராய் taray
- Telugu
- Sambrani Chettu
- Kannada
- ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಿ Brahmi, ಜಲ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಿ Jala brahmi, ನೀರು ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಿ Niru brahmi
- Malayalam
- ബ്രഹ്മി brahmi
- Marathi
- ब्राह्मी brahmi, जलब्राह्मी jalabrahmi, नीर ब्राह्मी nir brahmi, ब्राह्मी
Brahmi in India
Brahmi is a small creeping marsh herb prized in Ayurveda — बाम baam (Hindi), நீர்ப்பிரமி nir-p-pirami (Tamil), Sambrani Chettu (Telugu), ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಿ Brahmi (Kannada), ബ്രഹ്മി brahmi (Malayalam), ब्राह्मी brahmi (Marathi). Bacopa monnieri is recorded across Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, in wet ground, pond margins and paddy fields.
Uses
It is a classical Ayurvedic medhya (brain/memory) tonic, traditionally taken to support memory and calm — an attributed traditional use described for information, not medical advice. It is also grown as an aquarium and pond plant and harvested for the herbal trade.
How to Identify Brahmi
A low, creeping, succulent herb that roots at the nodes, forming mats in damp places. It has small, thick, spoon-shaped leaves in pairs and solitary little flowers of white to pale purple. (Note: 'brahmi' is also used for Centella asiatica, a different plant.)
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Memory plant called in different Indian languages?
- बाम baam (Hindi); நீர்ப்பிரமி nir-p-pirami (Tamil); Sambrani Chettu (Telugu); ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಿ Brahmi (Kannada); ബ്രഹ്മി brahmi (Malayalam); ब्राह्मी brahmi (Marathi); ব্রাহ্মিশাক brahmisaka (Bengali).
- Is brahmi the same as gotu kola?
- The name 'brahmi' is used for two different plants — Bacopa monnieri (water hyssop) and Centella asiatica (gotu kola/mandukaparni); this page is the Bacopa.
- What is brahmi used for?
- Bacopa is a classical Ayurvedic medhya (memory) tonic; this is a traditional, attributed use and not medical advice.
Scrophulariaceae
Figwort family
Brahmi belongs to the Scrophulariaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Scrophulariaceae
View all Scrophulariaceae →Sources: GBIF — Bacopa monnieri (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · iNaturalist — Bacopa monnieri (regional names, India observations) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Bacopa monnieri (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)