Hemiphragma heterophyllum aka Hemiphragma Heterophyllum

Hemiphragma heterophyllum is a low perennial in the Plantaginaceae family. Its native range runs from the Himalaya to China and Myanmar. It also reaches Taiwan and central Malesia. Records include Bhutan, India, Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It grows in temperate regions, despite this broad Asian range. Wild plants occur on dry slopes, in forests, and in scrub. These habitats lie at heights of 5,906–13,123 feet [1,800–4,000 metres].

The plant grows flat along the ground and forms spreading mats. It reaches about 0.33 feet [0.1 metres] tall. Its spread can reach 3.3 feet [1 metre]. The stems can make new roots at their nodes. This helps explain its carpet-like form and offers a way to propagate it. Its low habit suits beds where a spreading plant has room. The supplied sources give no further detail about its leaves or stems.

Flowers appear from July to August. Each flower has both male and female organs. Seeds ripen from August to September. The ripe fruit turns bright red and can be eaten fresh. Plants For A Future gives its edible value two out of five. That score suggests a modest food use, rather than a major crop. The evidence does not describe the fruit's taste or size.

For cultivation, choose a warm, sheltered place in full sun. The plant does not grow well in shade. It needs light, sandy soil that lets excess water drain away. Keep the soil moist rather than letting it stay dry. It accepts mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soils. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 7–10. Yet its cultivation notes place cold tolerance near 19°F [-7°C]. It can grow outdoors in Britain's milder areas. Elsewhere, it needs shelter from winter cold.

Sow seed under glass in spring to raise new plants. Move seedlings into separate pots once they are large enough. Keep them in a greenhouse through their first winter. Plant them outside in late spring or early summer. Mid-spring division, layering, and cuttings offer other ways to grow it. A recorded medicinal use applies plant juice to cuts and wounds. This records a use, not proof of safety or benefit. Plants For A Future reports no known hazards or weed concern. The supplied evidence names no pests or diseases.