Ajuga reptans L.

Perennial; vegetative shoots ± procumbent and forming long, glabrous, aerial stolons. Lvs with winged petioles 1–2 cm long. Lamina 1.5–5 × 0.7–3 cm, broad-elliptic to elliptic-obovate or oblong, glabrous or becoming so, undulate or shallowly and broadly crenate; apex obtuse or rounded. Flowering stems to c. 25 cm tall, erect, densely hairy on 2 sides. Lower bracts similar to lvs but sessile and entire, tinged blue. Verticels crowded towards apex, c. 6-flowered. Calyx 4–5 mm long; teeth exceeding tube, lanceolate to elliptic, purplish, acute, with long white cilia. Corolla 13–17 mm long, blue with darker veins; tube > calyx, hairy outside; upper lip emarginate. Filaments glandular-puberulent, blue. Style blue. Nutlets not seen.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Jan.–Dec.