General description:- Herbs or shrubs, often glandular and aromatic.
Leaves:- Usually simple, without stipules (exstipulate), opposite.
Flowers:- Irregular having only one plane of symmetry (zygomorphic), usually in contracted and modified cymes in the axils of opposite bracts or floral leaves, forming pseudowhorls (verticillasters), which in turn are arranged in simple or compound spike-like, cymose, corymbose, paniculate or capitate inflorescences; rarely in true cymes. Bracts leaf-like, or much reduced or modified (usually called floral leaves when conspicuous). Bracteoles usually small, sometimes absent. Calyx usually 4- or 5-lobed, often 2-lipped with the upper lip 3-toothed and the lower 2-toothed. Corolla with united petals (sympetalous); limb usually 5-lobed, often 2-lipped with the upper lip 2-lobed and the lower lip 3-lobed, rarely all 5 lobes forming the lower lip. Stamens usually 4, arranged in two pairs of unequal length, (didynamous), rarely 2. Ovary superior, 2-carpellate (having only female organs) but appearing equally 4-lobed when mature due to further partition; style single, usually branched above, apparently rising from the base of the ovary (gynobasic).
Fruit:- Four 1-seeded nutlets.
AJUGA
General description:- Annual or perennial herbs.
Flowers:- Calyx more or less actinomorphic, with 10 or more veins. Upper lip of the corolla usually very short; lower lip 3-lobed; tube with a ring of hairs inside. Stamens didynamous, all usually exserted. Style not gynobasic.
Fruit:- Nutlets reticulate-veined or transversely rugose.
Key features:-
1) Upper lip of corolla present, entire or consisting of 2 small teeth.
2) Corolla-tube with a ring of hairs inside.
3) Calyx not 2-lipped, the teeth ± equal.
4) Flowers violet-blue.
5) Style not gynobasic.
6) Anther-cells rarely at right angles to each other.
7) Filaments usually divergent.
BALLOTA
General description:- Perennial herbs or small shrubs.
Flowers:- Verticillasters few- to many-flowered. Bracteoles present. Calyx 10-veined; limb undulate, or with 5-16 crenations or teeth, the lobes more or less mucronate or gradually narrowed into an awn, rarely entire. Corolla-tube shorter than or equalling calyx, with a ring of hairs inside. Stamens parallel, the outer pair the longer; anther-cells diverging. Style-branches subequal.
Fruit:- Nutlets oblong, rounded at apex.
Key features:-
1) Calyx ± actinomorphic, straight, usually more than 7 mm.
2) Corolla 10-18 mm; upper lip usually ± ovate, entire or emarginate, rarely 2-fid. lower lip without conical projections.
3) Bracteoles present.
4) Calyx-tube expanded above middle; hypocrateriform.
5) Stamens parallel, usually not included in corolla-tube.
6) Corolla-tube with a ring of hairs inside; usually exserted from calyx.
Measurements relating to the calyx do not include awns or mucros.
CLINOPODIUM
General description:- Perennial herbs, sometimes woody at the base.
Flowers:- In opposite, axillary, usually stalked (pedunculate) cymes. Calyx tubular, 13-veined, more or less 2-lipped; upper lip 3-toothed; lower lip 2-toothed and longer than the upper; tube straight, not with a pouch-like swelling (gibbous), hairy in the mouth. Corolla 2-lipped; upper lip entire or distinctly notched at the apex (emarginate); lower lip 3-lobed, the middle lobe the largest; tube straight. Stamens included, curved, coming together (but not fused) distally (convergent); anther-cells divergent. Style-branches unequal, the upper awl-shaped (subulate), the lower longer and wider.
Key features:-
1) Verticillasters many-flowered, or of pedunculate cymes.
2) Calyx straight, not gibbous or constricted.
LAMIUM
General description:- Annual or perennial herbs.
Flowers:- Whorls (verticillasters) crowded. Calyx tubular or bell-shaped (campanulate), 5-veined, with 5 equal or subequal teeth. Corolla white, pink or purple, 2-lipped; upper lip hooded; lower lip obcordate or broadly obovate with or without small lateral lobes. Anther-cells spreading wide (divaricate).
Fruit:- Nutlets obtusely 3-angled (trigonous), truncate at apex.
Key features:-
1) Calyx with 5-10 veins.
2) Lateral lobes of lower lip of corolla absent, or inconspicuous, sometimes reduced to small, acute teeth
LAVANDULA
General description:- Small shrubs.
Flowers:- Verticillasters in lax or crowded spikes; bracts differing distinctly from the leaves. Calyx (8-)13(-15)-veined, the teeth small, subequal; uppermost tooth usually with a cordate to obovate appendage at the apex. Corolla 2-lipped, usually pale purple to blue-violet; upper lip 2-lobed; lower lip 3-lobed, the lobes equal.
All species occur in dry, usually sunny habitats.
Key features:-
1) Upper lip of corolla ± flat or convex, usually shorter than the lower lip, or corolla actinomorphic.
2) Calyx often 2-lipped, with 15 veins.
3) Upper tooth of calyx with a cordate to obovate apical appendage.
4) Style gynobasic; corolla various.
5) Leaves mostly 2-pinnatisect.
LYCOPUS
General description:- Perennial, odourless herbs with creeping rhizome.
Flowers:- Verticillasters many-flowered, dense, distant. Calyx campanulate, 13-veined, with 5 equal teeth. Corolla-tube shorter than the calyx, with 4 subequal lobes, the uppermost usually wider than the others. Stamens 2, exceeding the corolla; staminodes 0 or 2.
Key features:-
1) Upper lip of corolla flat or convex.
2) Stamens with 2 fertile cells.
3) Lower leaves pinnatifid.
MARRUBIUM
General description:- Perennial herbs.
Flowers:- Bracteoles usually present, ascending from a deflexed base. Calyx narrowly obconical, usually 10-veined, with 5-10 teeth; tube densely hairy inside at the mouth. Corolla 2-lipped; upper lip straight, 2-fid; lower lip 3-lobed; tube included in calyx, with an uneven ring of hairs or glabrous inside. Stamens parallel, the outer pair the longer, all included in the corolla-tube; anther-cells diverging.
Fruit:- Nutlets truncate at apex.
Key features:-
1) Flowers rarely violet-blue.
2) Style gynobasic.
3) Stamens included in corolla-tube.
4) Corolla-tube included in calyx; upper lip of corolla often oblong to linear and 2-fid.
5) Bracteoles usually present.
6) Calyx 5- to 10-toothed.
MELISSA
General description:- Perennial herbs.
Flowers:- Verticillasters few- to many-flowered. Calyx bell-shaped (campanulate), 2-lipped, 13-veined; upper lip flattened, 3-toothed lower lip 2-toothed. Corolla 2-lipped, the tube curved and dilated above the middle, without a ring of hairs inside; upper lip erect or deflexed, sometimes slightly hooded, emarginate lower lip 3-lobed. Stamens four arranged in two pairs of unequal length (didynamous), included, convergent anther-cells divergent. Style-branches subequal.
Key features:-
1) Leaves at least 2 cm.
2) Corolla 8-15 mm, pale yellow, becoming white or pinkish; tube distinctly curved.
MENTHA
General description:- Perennial (rarely annual) herbs with creeping rhizomes and scented foliage.
Flowers:- Hermaphrodite or female, on the same or different plants, usually in dense, many-flowered verticillasters, sometimes forming a long spike-like inflorescence or a terminal head. Calyx actinomorphic or weakly 2-lipped, tubular or campanulate, 10- to 13-veined, with 5(4) subequal or rarely unequal teeth. Corolla weakly 2-lipped, with 4 subequal lobes, the upper lobe wider and usually emarginate; tube shorter than the calyx. Stamens about equal, divergent or ascending under the upper lip of corolla, exserted. Style-branches subequal.
Fruit:- Nutlets smooth, reticulate or tuberculate.
1) Calyx weakly 2-lipped, the throat hairy inside.
2) Inflorescence not plumose.
All species occur in damp or wet habitats.
Sect. MENTHA.
Flowers:- Bracts variable. Verticillasters usually many-flowered. Calyx tubular or campanulate, with 5 more or less equal teeth; throat glabrous within. Corolla-tube straight.
M. SPICATA Group
Leaves:- Sessile or the lower very shortly petiolate.
Flowers:- In slender spikes 5-15 mm. diam.
Fruit:- Nutlets red-brown to black, reticulate (except in glabrous variants of M. spicata).
Key features:-
1) Bracts mostly small and inconspicuous, unlike the leaves.
2) Flowers in terminal spikes or heads 5-15 mm diam.
3) Leaves sessile (the lower rarely shortly petiolate).
Sect. PULEGIUM
Flowers:- Bracts like the leaves. Verticillasters many-flowered. Calyx tubular, weakly 2-lipped; throat hairy within. Corolla-tube gibbous.
M. SPICATA Group
Leaves:- Sessile or the lower very shortly petiolate.
Flowers:- In slender spikes 5-15 mm. diam.
Fruit:- Nutlets red-brown to black, reticulate (except in glabrous variants of M. spicata).
Key features:-
1) Bracts mostly small and inconspicuous, unlike the leaves.
2) Flowers in terminal spikes or heads 5-15 mm diam.
3) Leaves sessile (the lower rarely shortly petiolate).
MICROMERIA
General description:- Perennial herbs or dwarf shrubs.
Flowers:- Calyx tubular, 13(15)-veined, sometimes actinomorphic and straight, sometimes zygomorphic and somewhat curved, scarcely pouch-like (gibbous) and somewhat 2-lipped with rather unequal teeth, hairy or glabrous in the mouth. Corolla 2-lipped, with straight tube. Stamens shorter than corolla, curved, convergent. Style-branches subequal, subulate.
Key features:-
1) Verticillasters not in secund spikes.
2) Stamens uniting distally (connivent), curved; with anthers ± united (connate) under upperlip of corolla.
3) Upper teeth of calyx distinct from lower; not wider than other 4 teeth.
4) Corolla-tube straight.
5) Leaves usually less than 2 cm.
6) Style-branches equal or subequal.
7) Calyx with 11-15 veins; tube usually curved.
All species grow on rocks, or occasionally on walls and in other dry, open habitats.
NEPETA
General description:- Perennial, rarely annual herbs.
Flowers:- Hermaphrodite or unisexual; verticillasters in spike-like inflorescences or in lax or dense, sometimes pedunculate cymes. Calyx cylindrical to ovoid, straight or curved, 15-veined, accrescent; teeth 5, subequal, the upper sometimes exceeding the lower. Corolla cylindrical-campanulate or infundibuliform, 2-lipped; tube slender, long, glabrous inside; upper lip patent, flat, 2-fid; lower lip 3-lobed. Stamens didynamous, parallel; anther-cells divergent, opening by a common slit.
Fruit:- Nutlets smooth, tuberculate or rugose.
Key features:-
1) Plant not stoloniferous.
2) Anther-cells opening by a common slit.
3) Upper tooth of calyx not wider than other 4 teeth
4) Middle lobe of lower lip of corolla usually concave, crenate; lateral lobes indistinct;
5) Stamens parallel.
Measurements and shapes of leaves refer to cauline leaves.
All species usually grow in dry habitats, on rocky, hilly or disturbed ground.
Sect. NEPETA.
Leaves:- Most petiolate.
Flowers:- Inflorescence spike-like or branched, sometimes leafy below; verticillasters many-flowered. Bracteoles subulate, not rigid, usually much shorter than the calyx. Flowers hermaphrodite. Calyx usually cylindrical or ovoid, often curved; upper teeth usually exceeding the lower. Corolla-tube curved, dilated at the throat.
Fruit:- Nutlets smooth or tuberculate.
Sect. PYCNONEPETA
Leaves:- At least the lowest petiolate.
Flowers:- Inflorescence spike-like, rarely branched; verticillasters many-flowered. Outer bracts usually equalling or exceeding the calyx, often rigid or scarious. Flowers hermaphrodite. Calyx tubular, straight or curved; upper teeth exceeding the lower.
Fruit:- Nutlets tuberculate or rugose.
ORIGANUM
General description:- Dwarf shrubs or annual, biennial or perennial herbs.
Flowers:- Whorls (verticillasters) few- to many-flowered, aggregated into short, terminal or lateral spicules; spicules arranged in paniculate, cymose or corymbiform inflorescences. Bracts distinct from the leaves, overlapping like tiles (imbricate), often conspicuous, coloured. Calyx bell-shaped (campanulate) or top-shaped (turbinate), 2-lipped and either actinomorphic with 5 equal teeth, or entire, obliquely truncate at apex, or 1-lipped and deeply slit on one side. Corolla 2-lipped, the upper lip entire or distinctly notched at the apex (emarginate); lower lip 3-lobed. Stamens arranged in two pairs of unequal length (didynamous), exserted or included; anther-cells divergent. Style-branches equal.
Key features:-
1) Upper tooth of calyx without appendage.
2) Verticillasters aggregated into spicules.
All species grow mainly in dry places, often on rocky slopes or in dwarf scrub.
Sect. AMARACUS
Flowers:- Calyx 2-lipped. Bracts up to 11 mm, purplish.
Sect. MAJORANA
Flowers:- Calyx 1-lipped and deeply slit on one side, 2-lipped, or entire and truncate at apex. Bracts 3-4 mm, green.
Sect. ORIGANUM
Flowers:- Calyx with 5 more or less equal teeth. Bracts 2-5 mm, green or purplish.
PHLOMIS
General description:- Herbs or shrubs.
Flowers:- Verticillasters few- to many-flowered, crowded or distant. Calyx tubular, 5- to 10-veined, 5-toothed. Corolla 2-lipped; upper lip hooded, distinctly notched at the apex (emarginate); lower lip spreading (patent), 3-lobed. Stamens included or exserted; anther cells divergent. Style-branches unequal.
Fruit:- Nutlets trigonous, glabrous or pubescent.
Key features:-
1) Calyx-tube subglobose, bell-shaped, funnel-shaped (campanulate, infundibuliform) or tubular.
2) Style-branches distinctly unequal.
3) Calyx-teeth equal; tube with 5-10 veins.
Most species occur on dry, rocky ground.
PRASIUM
General description:- Shrubs.
Flowers:- Verticillasters reduced to a single flower (rarely 2), forming terminal racemes. Calyx bell-shaped (campanulate), 2-lipped, 10-veined; upper lip 3-lobed; lower lip deeply 2-fid; all the lobes leaf-like. Corolla 2-lipped; tube with a ring of scale-like hairs inside; upper lip entire, hooded; lower lip 3-lobed. Stamens didynamous, parallel; anther-cells divergent. Style-branches subequal, subulate.
Fruit:- Nutlets drupe-like.
1) Calyx with throat always open.
2) Filaments without an appendage.
3) Corolla 17-20 mm.
4) Nutlets drupaceous.
PRUNELLA
General description:- Perennial herbs.
Flowers:- Whorls (verticillasters) mostly 6-flowered, in dense, terminal, cylindrical spikes; bracts distinctly different from the leaves; bracteoles small or absent. Calyx tubular-bell-shaped (campanulate), 2-lipped, closed in fruit; upper lip more or less 3-toothed; lower lip with 2 larger teeth. Corolla-tube exceeding calyx, straight, obconical, with a ring of hairs inside; upper lip distinctly hooded; lower lip finely toothed (denticulate). Filaments with a subulate appendage below the apex; anther-cells divergent.
Fruit:- Nutlets oblong.
Key features:-
1) Bracteoles not pungent, sometimes absent.
2) Calyx distinctly 2-lipped with throat closed in fruit when dry.
3) Filaments with a subulate appendage below the apex.
ROSMARINUS
General description:- Evergreen shrubs.
Flowers:- Verticillasters few-flowered, in short axillary racemes. Calyx bell-shaped (campanulate), 2-lipped; upper lip entire; lower lip 2-lobed. Corolla 2-lipped, exserted; upper lip strongly concave and 2-fid; lower lip 3-fid with a spoon-shaped
(cochleariform) middle lobe. Stamens 2, distinctly exserted, parallel. Filaments with a small, lateral, recurved tooth near the base. Anthers single-celled (1-locular). Style long, incurved, unbranched.
Key features:-
1) Shrub.
2) Corolla, upper lip of 2-fid.
SALVIA
General description:- Herbs or shrubs.
Flowers:- In axillary verticillasters (rarely cymes). Calyx 2-lipped, the teeth unequal; lower lip deeply 2-fid or -dentate; upper lip 3-dentate, rarely subentire. Corolla 2-lipped; upper lip straight or falcate; lower lip 3-lobed, the middle lobe the largest; tube straight or invaginated, with or without a ring of hairs inside. Stamens 2; connective usually articulating with the filament, one arm with a fertile cell, the other more or less sterile, often expanded and flattened distally (dolabriform).
Key features:-
1) Corolla ± actinomorphic, or 2-lipped with a distinct upper lip. Upper lip distinctly hooded (concave).
2) Fertile stamens 2.
4) Stamens with 1 fertile cell.
Most species grow on stony slopes or roadsides, in dry grassland, cultivated ground or similar habitats,
Sect. SALVIA
General description:- Shrubs or perennial herbs.
Flowers:- Calyx not or scarcely accrescent. Corolla, upper lip more or less straight; tube with a ring of hairs inside. Staminal connective shorter than or equalling the filament; arms subequal, one with a more or less sterile cell.
Sect. HORMINUM
General description:- Annuals.
Flowers:- Calyx tubular, deflexed in fruit. Corolla upper lip more or less straight; tube without a ring of hairs inside. Staminal connective longer than filament; arms unequal, the shorter more or less hatchet-shaped (dolabriform).
Sect. HYMENOSPHACE
General description:- Shrubs or perennial herbs.
Flowers:- Calyx strongly accrescent. Corolla, upper lip more or less straight; tube with a ring of hairs inside. Staminal connective shorter than or equalling the filament; arms subequal, one with a more or less sterile cell.
Sect. PLETHIOSPHACE
General description:- Perennial or rarely biennial herbs.
Flowers:- Calyx bell-shaped (campanulate); upper lip concave-bisulcate (with two grooves) in fruit. Corolla, upper lip straight or sickle-shaped (falcate); tube without a ring of hairs. Staminal connective longer than filament; arms unequal, the shorter hatchet-shaped (dolabriform).
SATUREJA
General description:- Annual or perennial herbs or dwarf shrubs.
Flowers:- In verticillasters or in lax cymes. Calyx tubular or bell-shaped (campanulate), 10(-13) veined, with 5 more or less equal (rarely distinctly unequal) teeth; tube straight, rarely pouch-like (gibbous), more or less hairy in the mouth. Corolla 2-lipped, with straight tube. Stamens shorter than corolla, curved. Style-branches subequal, awl-shaped (subulate).
Key features:-
1) Calyx with 11-13 veins, 2·5-7(-9) mm. Calyx-tube not salver-shaped (hypocrateriform).
2) Corolla (-4)5-20 mm; upper lip not more than 8 mm; pale yellow, white, pink or purple.
3) Nutlets dry.
4) Mostly dwarf shrubs with ascending stems.
5) Stamens ± exserted from corolla-tube, divergent.
7) Perennial.
8) Fruiting calyx gibbous at base.
9) Verticillasters not in crowded, secund spikes.
All species occur in dry, sunny habitats, particularly on cliffs.
SCUTELLARIA
General description:- Rhizomatous perennials.
Flowers:- In pairs, remote or in a dense oblong raceme. Calyx 2-lipped, the tube bell-shaped (campanulate), with an erect dorsal scale; lips entire, closed in fruit. Corolla 2-lipped; tube long and more or less curved upwards from the base, glabrous inside. Stamens parallel.
Key features:-
1) Fertile stamens 4.
2) Upper lip of corolla distinctly hooded (concave), ± equalling to or much exceeding the lower lip.
3) Calyx with an erect, dorsal projection;
4) Usually actinomorphic.
SIDERITIS
General description:- Annual or perennial herbs, or small shrubs.
Flowers:- Verticillasters 2- to many-flowered. Bracteoles absent. Calyx bell-shaped (campanulate), 10- veined, 5-toothed; teeth equal, or the upper larger than the 4 lower. Corolla usually yellow; tube not exceeding calyx; upper lip patent, more or less flat, entire to 2-fid; lower lip 3-lobed. Stamens included in corolla-tube.
Fruit:- Nutlets rounded at the apex.
Key features:-
1) Bracteoles absent.
2) Calyx 2-lipped; 5-8 mm; 10-toothed.
3) Stamens included in corolla-tube, parallel.
4) Corolla not more than 11 mm., deep yellow or yellow and black.
5) Annual.
6) Nutlets rounded at the apex.
Sect. HESIODIA
General description:- Annuals.
Flowers:- Bracts more or less entire, leaf-like.