I.C. Hedge

Perennial. Stems prostrate to ascending, 15-40 cm, with a rather dense indumentum of eglandular spreading to retrorse hairs. Leaves elliptic to oblong-ovate (or suborbicular), 8-20 x 5-10 mm, crenulate to serrulate, cuneate, rounded or acute, with eglandular hairs on both surfaces, gland-dotted below, shortly petiolate, decreasing in size up the stem. Verticillasters numerous, up to 18, distant, many-flowered, c. 1.5 cm in diameter, subglobose, all borne in the axils of the middle and upper leaves. Pedicels 2-3 mm, erect-spreading. Calyx tubular-campanulate, 2.5 mm, eglandular pilose and gland-dotted, inconspicuously bilabiate; tube c. 2 mm, densely villous at throat; upper lobe with 3 narrow lanceolate-triangular teeth, mucronulate; lower lip with 2 long subulate ciliate teeth; fruiting calyx not enlarged. Corolla pink or lilac, c. 5 mm, with a slender narrow tube widening into a ± infundibuliform upper part. Nutlets 4, ± globose, c. 0.5 x 0.3 mm, brown, rounded.

Lectotype (selected by Tucker et al., l.c. 237 and fig. 11): Europe (LINN 730/19 - microfiche!).

Distribution: Europe and Mediterranean region to N. Iran.

The source in W. Europe of Pennroyal oil. Not native in our area, but occasionally cultivated.