 Photo: Bramley, G. |
 Photo: Bramley, G. |
Subfamily
VII. Subfam. Nepetoideae (Dumort.) Luerss. (1882).
VII. 2. Tribe Mentheae Dumort. (1827).
VII. 2. A. Subtribe Salviinae (Dumort.) Endl. (1838).
Description
Shrubs, sometimes gynodioecious, strongly aromatic, with simple and dendroid hairs; leaves linear to lanceolate, revolute, entire, sessile; inflorescences as short, 5-15-flowered racemes in axils of upper leaves; bracts inconspicuous; bracteoles absent; flowers pedicellate; calyx 2-lipped, 3 or 5-lobed (1-3/2), campanulate to infundibuliform, widening above, posterior lip curved upwards, triangular, tube 11-12-nerved, accrescent; corolla strongly 2-lipped, 5-lobed (2/3), violet to white, posterior lip with lobes spreading, anterior lip with lateral lobes, shorter, median lobe rounded, concave, toothed, tube short, exannulate; stamens 2, posterior pair absent or rudimentary, anterior pair long-exserted, ascending, much shorter in male-sterile flowers, anthers elongate, with single fertile theca separated by an elongate, downward curving connective from the sterile theca represented by small, tooth-like appendage, connective not articulating with filament and appearing continuous; style curved, exserted; stigma-lobes short, unequal; disc 4-lobed, anterior lobe largest; nutlets ovoid, smooth, abscission scar large with central pore, not mucilaginous, pseudostrophiolate. 2n = 24. Three species, with natural hybrids, in the Mediterranean region and Caucasus. Rosmarinus officinalis L. has been widely cultivated since antiquity as an ornamental.
Distribution
Native to:
12 Southwestern Europe13 Southeastern Europe20 Northern Africa21 Macaronesia34 Western Asia
Introduced to:
14 Eastern Europe77 South-Central U.S.A.Publication
Rosmarinus L., Sp. Pl. 1: 23 (1753).Species found in RBG Kew living collections
1991-1010 Rosmarinus X mendizabalii Sagredo & Rosua N JMSU 90 154 0503 : 154 0510 : ALP_H 05 : ALP_N HH FRAME8 1991-1006 Rosmarinus eriocalyx Jord.& Fourr. N JURY 154 0501 1994-2195 Rosmarinus eriocalyx Jord.& Fourr. N JUMU 243 F TH 32 BAY 59 : TRO_N SEED : TRO_N 1 R10 2005-2537 Rosmarinus eriocalyx var. eriocalyx N JUMU 243 ARB_N 28 1991-1002 Rosmarinus eriocalyx var. eriocalyx N JUMU 243 154 0510 : ALP_N HH FRAME8 1973-81 Rosmarinus officinalis 'Fastigiatus' STNA 751 HPG-A : WAK_N SP 1994-3039 Rosmarinus officinalis 'Fastigiatus' 111 21 : DEC_N QUEENS 2000-3663 Rosmarinus officinalis 'Gorzia' DODN 135 02 2002-1873 Rosmarinus officinalis 'Majorca Pink' PERH 751 HPG-F : WAK_N SP 1978-1372 Rosmarinus officinalis 'Majorca' STBG 113 03 1998-1906 Rosmarinus officinalis 'McConnells Blue' CATT 740 01 : 751 HPG-D : 751 HPG-E : 757 : WAK_N SP 2003-3579 Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus' COBL 126 01 2003-3766 Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus' COBL 126 02 2007-2059 Rosmarinus officinalis 'Roseus' HIGD 111 21 : 157 : DEC_N QUEENS 2005-2339 Rosmarinus officinalis 'Sissinghurst Blue' NTTT 412 08 : ARB_N 29B 2002-2780 Rosmarinus officinalis 'Sissinghurst Blue' NTTT ARB_N SB06 2008-1503 Rosmarinus officinalis 'Sissinghurst Blue' NTTT 412 05 1983-3394 Rosmarinus officinalis 'Sissinghurst Blue' NTTT 751 HPG-A : 751 HPG-B : 751 HPG-C : WAK_N SP 2002-1869 Rosmarinus officinalis 'Sissinghurst Blue' PERH 750 : WAK_N SP 2008-1534 Rosmarinus officinalis L. N AHAL 82 156 32 2005-1732 Rosmarinus officinalis L. N HMSX 1566 ARB_N PT01 : ARB_N PT01 2007-2501 Rosmarinus officinalis L. N AHAL 237 ARB_N 2007-1257 Rosmarinus officinalis L. HIGD 111 03 : DEC_N QUEENS 2005-1843 Rosmarinus officinalis L. N HMSX 1566 412 03 2006-1616 Rosmarinus officinalis L. N AHAL 82 ARB_N 2007-2056 Rosmarinus officinalis L. COSE 111 17 2007-972 Rosmarinus officinalis L. N AHAL 138 ARB_N 1986-4791 Rosmarinus officinalis L. FIEL sn 154 0512 : 154 0609 1975-5548 Rosmarinus officinalis L. N HMSX 1566 F 412 02 1969-17725 Rosmarinus officinalis L. var. angustifolius Guss. F 154 0519 1997-4637 Rosmarinus officinalis L. var. prostratus Pasq. STBG F 135 02 1978-1362 Rosmarinus officinalis L. var. prostratus Pasq. STBG F 113 03
Image resource
© Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew