AJUGA IVA

Family and Genus:- See- LABIATAE

Common Names:- Southern bugle

Homotypic Synonyms:- Bulga iva, Chamaepitys iva, Teucrium iva.

Meaning:- Ajuga (L) Corrupted Latin for abortifacient (in Pliny, abigo, to drive

away).

Iva (L) A name used by the Roman monk Rufinus of Aquileia for

various fragrant plants.

General description:- Tufted, growing in tight groups, perennial.

Stems:-

1) 5-15 cm, woody at the base, usually much-branched, villous or lanate-villous.

Leaves:-

1) 14-35 x 3-6(-8) mm, linear or linear-oblong, entire or with 2-6 short lobes.

Flowers:-

1) 2-4 at each node.

2) Bracts, similar to the leaves, exceeding the flowers.

3) Calyx, 3·5-4·5 mm, the teeth as long as or shorter than the tube.

4) Corolla, 12-20 mm, purple, pink or yellow; tube exceeding the calyx; upper lip

entire.

5) Stamens, exserted; filaments hairy.

Fruit:-

1) Nutlets, 4, reticulate-veined or transversely rugose,1-seeded.

Key features:-

1) Leaves, 3-6(-8) mm wide, linear to linear-oblong; entire, toothed or shallowly

lobed.

2) Stem, 5-15 cm, procumbent.

3) Corolla, lower lip pink or yellowish, without conspicuous veins.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Open dry shrubby vegetation, olive groves, open coniferous woodlad,

along tracks. 0-400(-700) m.

Distribution:- Widespread across the Aegean, mainly around coastal areas.

Sporadic and variable distribution on Crete mainly in the east.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to June, and sometimes again in Sept-Nov.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis