Photo: Jennings, L.

Photo: Jennings, L.

Subfamily

VI. Subfam. Lamioideae Harley (2003)

Subfam. Stachyoideae (Dumort.) Luerss. (1882); Briq. in Engl. & Prantl (1895) et auct. mult., p.p., typ. incl.

Subfam. Prasioideae (Benth.) Thomé (1889)

Subfam. Pogostemonoideae P.D. Cantino, Harley & Wagstaff in Harley & Reynolds (1992).

Description

Annual or sometimes short-lived perennial herbs, subglabrous or very sparsely pubescent with simple hairs; leaves toothed, petiolate; inflorescence thyrsoid, cymes 3-4-flowered; bracteoles short, spinose; calyx 2-lipped, very widely campanulate, recurved, 5-8 (-10)-lobed, lobes subulate-spinose or obsolete; corolla strongly 2-lipped, 4-lobed (1/3), white or pink, posterior lip long, hooded, densely pubescent outside; stamens not exserted from corolla, thecae weakly distinct; stigma-lobes equal or slightly unequal; nutlets sharply triquetrous, truncate and with sessile glands at apex.  Two spp., rocks and disturbed ground, S Europe to C Asia, M. laevis L. often cultivated and naturalized in other warm regions.

Distribution

Native to:

12 Southwestern Europe
13 Southeastern Europe
14 Eastern Europe
20 Northern Africa
32 Middle Asia
33 Caucasus
34 Western Asia
40 Indian Subcontinent

Introduced in:

25 East Tropical Africa
50 Australia
76 Southwestern U.S.A.
85 Southern South America

Synonyms

Molucca Mill., Gard. Dict. Abr. ed. 4 (1754).

Chasmonia C.Presl, Fl. Sicul., Praef.: xxxvii (1826). 

Publication

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Image resource

© Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew