AJUGA CHAMAEPITYS subsp. CHIA

Family and Genus:- See- LABIATAE

Common Names:- Ground pine

Homotypic Synonyms:- Ajuga chamaepitys var. chia, Ajuga chia,

Chamaepitys chia, Teucrium chium

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

away).

Chamaepitys Gr) A name used by the Greek philosopher

Theophrastus for a dwarf pine-like plant.

General description:- Short-lived perennial.

Stems:-

1) 5-30 cm, usually much branched, glabrous to lanate-villous.

Leaves:-

1) 3-partite, with linear segments 0·5-3(-4) mm wide, with the leaf-segments, 1·5-3

(-4) mm wide.sometimes 3-fid.

Flowers:-

1) 2-4 at each node.

2) Bracts, similar to the leaves.

3) Calyx, 4-6 mm, teeth as long as or shorter than the tube.

4) Corolla, 18-25, yellow with red or purple markings, rarely entirely purple.

5) Corolla, tube, about equalling the calyx,upper lip entire.

6) Stamens, exserted.

Fruit:-

1) Nutlets, 3-4 mm, transversely rugose. 1-seeded

Key features:-

1) Leaves, 3-partite with linear, sometimes 3-fid segments.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Open dry shrubby vegetation, olive groves, fallow fields, open woodland,

0-1300 m.

Distribution:- Widespread across the Aegean. Spodadic and variable distribution

on Crete.

Flowering time:- Mar to early July.

Photos by:- Dr. Armin Jagel