I.C. Hedge

Shrub up to 1 m. Leaves 10-20 x 1-2 mm, dark green, clustered, aromatic, glabrous above, stellate-dendroid-canescent below. Inflorescence shortly pedunculate with c. 10-15 flowers in axillary cymes. Bracts minute. Calyx c. 4 mm, finely stellate-dendroid tomentose and gland-dotted. Corolla pale blue, c. 10 mm. Nutlets c. 2.5 x 1.5 mm, mucilaginous on wetting.

Type: Described from Spain, S. France and Palestine (LINN 41/1 – microfiche!).

Distribution: Mediterranean area, Caucasus.

In the Mediterranean, cultivated for its aromatic oils. I have only seen one specimen from our area. In India it is reputedly quite widely cultivated in gardens (Wealth of India, l.c.).