SPECIES DESCRIPTION
STACHYS MUCRONATA
Family and Genus:- See- LABIATAE/Sect. STACHYS
Common Names:- None
Homotypic Synonyms:- None
Meaning:- Stachys (Gr) Spike-like.
Mucronata (L) With a hard sharp-pointed tip.
General description:- Much-branched, caespitose subshrub.
Stems:-
1) 10-50 cm, branched and woody at the base.
Leaves:-
1) 20-60 x 5-20 mm, petiolate,
a) blade, oblong, crenate, lanate-villous when young, ± glabrescent.
Flowers:-
1) In a short inflorescence, consisting of a few, usually 2-flowered velticillasters.
2) Calyx, c. 10 mm, obtriangular, 10-ribbed, villous and glandular-puberulent when
young, glabrescent, persistent and indurate;
a) teeth, equalling the tube, narrowly triangular, attenuate into a sharp, pungent
point.
3) Corolla, c. 14 mm; scarcely exceeding the calyx.
a) upper lip, pilose.
b) lower lip, with a rounded middle lobe, white or pale pink with small purple
dots.
Fruit:-
1) Nutlets, 4, 1-seeded.
Key features:-
1) Verticillasters, 2- to 4-flowered.
2) Leaves, cuneate, obtuse, crenate, lanate; rarely truncate at the base.
3) Stem and leaves, ± lanate.
4) Pedicels, 3-5 mm in flower.
5) Corolla, scarcely exceeding calyx.
6) Calyx, persistent and indurate, with teeth attenuate into a sharp, pungent point
Habitat:- Dry, rocky slopes with open dry shrubby vegetation, cliffs, occasionally in
stone walls between terraced fields. 0-1200 m. generally on limestone.
Distribution:- Endemic to Crete and Karpathos. Restricted to the east Crete, not
common.
Flowering time:- Late Apr to early July.
Photos by:- Steve Lenton
