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

Small shrub, usually glabrous or very sparsely pubescent with simple hairs; leaves toothed, petiolate; inflorescence lax, racemoid or rarely thyrsoid, cymes up to 2-flowered; bracteoles at base of pedicels; calyx broadly campanulate in fruit, slightly 2-lipped, 5-lobed (3/2), lobes equal or subequal, shortly spinose; corolla strongly 2-lipped, 4-lobed (1/3), white to pale cream, posterior lip long, hooded; stamens not exserted from corolla, thecae weakly distinct, divergent; stigma-lobes equal or subequal; nutlets drupaceous, rounded at apex, black, glabrous. 2n = 34, 36.  One sp., P. majus L., dry places, mainly coastal, Canary Islands, Iberian Peninsula, Morocco and Mediterranean region.

Distribution

Native to:

12 Southwestern Europe
13 Southeastern Europe
20 Northern Africa
21 Macaronesia
34 Western Asia

Synonyms

Levina Adans., Fam. Pl. 2: 190 (1763). 

Publication

Prasium L., Sp. Pl. 2: 601 (1753).

top

Image resource

© Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew