Salvia aethiopisL. Mediterranean Sage

Salvia aethiopisL. - Mediterranean Sage

Scientific Description:

Biennial or perennial herb. Stems erect, sturdy, quadrangular, 25−60 cm, eglandular lanate, hairs denser below, with sessile glands. Leaves simple, mostly basal, ovate-elliptic to oblong, 10−21(−32) × 5−9 cm, ± lanate rugose, erose; petiole 4−9 cm. Inflorescence widely branched, candelabriform, many-flowered. Verticillasters 4−6-flowered, approximating above. Bracts broadly obovate, c. 12 × 15 mm, cuspidate, sparsely pilose. Calyx tubular-ovate, c. 12 mm, densely lanate, in fruit to c. 15 mm; upper lip tridentate, median tooth shorter. Corolla white, c. 15 mm, often with a pale yellow lip; tube abruptly ventricose, squamulate; upper lip falcate. Stamens B. Nutlets rounded trigonous, ovate, c. 3 × 2 mm.

Flowering time: May−August.

Habitat: Steppe, igneous and limestone slopes, fallow fields, roadside banks, nr s.l.−2100 m.

Reference:

Hedge IC (1982). Salvia aethiopis L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 7: 440.

Public Description:

Salvia aethiopis, known as “mediterranean sage”, is native to Eurasia. It is a biennial or perennial herb with white flowers, and grows up to 60 cm in length. The stems, which are highly branched and densely covered with hair, are shaped like a candlestick. It blooms between May and August and is found in steppe, igneous and limestone slopes, fallow fields and roadside banks.

References:

Anonymous 1 (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_aethiopis, Accessed date: 17.02.2016.

Anonymous 2 (2016). http://agri.nv.gov/Plant/Noxious_Weeds/WeedList/Mediterranean_sage_(Salvia_aethiopis)/, Accessed date: 17.02.2016.

Celep F, Kahraman A (2012). Salvia L., In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 575–584.