Photos: Davies, N.; de Kok, R.

Subfamily

VII. Subfam. Nepetoideae (Dumort.) Luerss. (1882).

VII. 2. Tribe Mentheae Dumort. (1827).

VII. 2. C. Subtribe Nepetinae Coss. & Germ. (1845).

Description

Annual or perennial, stoloniferous herbs, not aromatic; leaves simple, dentate; inflorescence thyrsoid, terminal, cymes pedunculate or sessile, few-flowered or sometimes solitary, lax, in axils of bracts; bracts leaf-like; bracteoles subulate, inconspicuous; flowers usually large; calyx tubular to campanulate, accrescent in fruit, 2-lipped, 5-lobed (3/2), lobes triangular to lanceolate, acute, those of anterior lip shorter; corolla strongly 2-lipped, 5-lobed (2/3), blue-violet to purplish, posterior lip straight, apex emarginate or 2-lobed, anterior lip with median lobe widely obovate-ovoid, concave, entire or slightly undulate, tube long-exserted, widely and abruptly dilated at throat; stamens shorter than corolla, filaments parallel, thecae parallel, papillose; stigma-lobes subequal; disc 4-lobed; nutlets orbicular to elliptic, hairy, areole orbicular.  2 n = 18.  About six species.  Temperate or subtropical Eastern Asia, one species in N America.

Distribution

Native to:

36 China
38 Eastern Asia

Publication

Species found in RBG Kew living collections

1991-1268 Meehania fargesii (Lev.) C.Y.Wu N CDRX 603 F TH 3 
2003-1221 Meehania urticifolia (Miq.) Makino  MCCL  F 732 02 
2003-1222 Meehania urticifolia (Miq.) Makino  MCCL  F 732 03 

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Image resource

© Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew