Lavandula dentata L.

Bushy shrub to c. 1 m high, often grey and with stellate tomentum, strongly aromatic. Lvs sessile, linear to narrow-oblong, sometimes revolute, mostly 2–3 cm long, pinnate with obtuse leaflets to pinnatifid or crenulate, with scattered simple hairs in the stellate tomentum. Peduncle to 30 cm long, much > spike; spike 3–4.5 cm long, broad-cylindric, dense. Fertile bracts 7–11 mm long, broad-ovate, apiculate, purplish; sterile apical bracts 7–10 mm long, ovate, ovate-lanceolate, to nearly elliptic, mauve-blue. Calyx 5–7 mm long, tubular, ± tomentose outside; dorsal appendage broadly reniform to suborbicular, ± mucronate. Corolla 8–10 mm long; tube > calyx by c. 2 mm; limb mauve, somewhat irregular; lobes 1.5–2.5 mm long. Nutlets c. 1.5 mm long, oblong, not mucilaginous when wet.

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

Flowering: Mar.–Nov.–(Feb.)