Native to India and the southern U.S., it also grows in tropical and subtropical parts of Australia, southern Africa, and South America. It prefers marshy areas and riverbanks. The aerial parts are harvested throughout the year.

Gotu kola has been used for thousands of years in India and still has a central place in Ayurvedic medicine for revitalizing the nerves and brain cells. The herb has a longstanding reputation in India as a "rejuvenator," helping concentration and memory. Gotu kola is also a glandular tonic, anti-fatigue, strengthening the adrenals. it cleans and feeds the immune system.

Dull dark red or reddish-brown seaweed. Its fronds are tough, flat, thin, almost opaque, and stalkless. Appears purplish underwater. Length: 4-12 inches

Dulse is a superior source of the iodine the body needs to make the thyroid hormones thyroxin and triiodothyronine which affect weight and metabolic rate. The complex polysaccharides in the herb make it a gentle alternative to psyllium or senna in the treatment of constipation.