Chirayata (Chiretta)

Chirayata is an erect annual or biennial herb of the gentian family, growing to about a metre with a branched, reddish stem, pairs of narrow pointed leaves and many small greenish-yellow flowers tinged with purple. It grows in the temperate Himalayas, from Kashmir to Bhutan, at roughly 1,200 to 3,000 metres.

The whole plant, intensely bitter, is used. Known in Ayurveda as Kiratatikta, it is traditionally included in bitter tonics and digestive and general wellness formulations. Over-collection has made it scarce, and it is on India's export negative list, so it is protected and restricted in trade and not offered here.