NEPETA SPHACIOTICA

Family and Genus:- See- LABIATAE/Sect. PYCNONEPETA

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Nepeta (L) A name used by the Roman naturalist and philosopher Pliny

for plants from Nepi, Etruria, Italy.

Sphaciotica (Gr) Damaged-looking, of gangrened appearance.

General description:- Shortly rhizomatous perennial.

Stems:-

1) 12-18 cm, suberect, sparingly branched, grey-tomentose to villous and glandular-

puberulent with short, patent to deflexed hairs, often viscid.

Leaves:-

1) Short-petiolate or subsessile, green, broad, with few, coarse crenations.

2) Cauline, distinctly petiolate.

3) Blade, 15-25 mm, ovate, cordate to truncate at the base, rugose, crenate, grey-

tomentose on both sides.

Flower:-

1) Inflorescence, very short spike-like.

2) Bracteoles, 5-10 x 0·5-1·5 mm, lanceolate, with distinct scarious margins.

a) outermost, ± equalling the calyx, lanceolate, shortly acuminate, with narrow,

distinct scarious margins.

3) Verticillasters, 6-12-flowered, confluent to a spike-like inflorescence, or the lower

1-2 remote.

4) Calyx, 5.5-7 mm, straight;

a) teeth, equal, 2/3 as long as the tube.

5) Corolla, 9-11 mm, white with small purple dots; lower lip ± bearded.

Fruit:-

1) Nutlets, tuberculate.

Key features:-

1) Stem, 5-15 cm tall, villous and glandular-puberulent.

2) Leaves, short-petiolate or subsessile, coarsely crenate, green.

3) Venicillasters, 6-12-flowered, confluent to a spike-like inflorescence, or the lower

1-2 remote.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Calcareous screes on an open mountain slope 2200-2300 m

Distribution:- A rare and threatend local endemic known only from a small

population on Mt Zvourichti, Lefka Ori, West Crete.

Flowering time:- July-Aug

Photos by:- Christopher Cheiladakis

Status:-

Conservation status (for threatened species): Rare (R) according to IUCN 1997

Protection status (for threatened species): Greek Presidential Decree 67/1981