Salvia repens Benth.

Perennial, aromatic herb with thick elongated almost woody rootstock; stem densely hairy, to c. 30 cm high. Lvs to 5–10 × 1–3 cm (including the often ill-defined petiole), oblong, pinnatisect towards apex, pinnate towards base and forming 2–3 pairs of distinct leaflets, hairy below, mostly on veins, sparsely so above, both sides covered with oil globules; terminal lobe or leaflet much larger, irregularly sinuate-dentate; apex obtuse or acute. Infl. to 10 cm long at anthesis, simple, densely hairy. Verticels rather distant, with < 8 fls, strongly glandular-hairy; pedicels very short; bracts < calyx, rounded except for narrow-acuminate apex, ciliate, with oil globules. Calyx 8–9 mm long, campanulate, with white hairs, and densely covered with oil globules, accrescent; teeth narrow-acuminate with middle tooth of upper lip < laterals. Corolla c. 12 mm long, pale mauve; lobes with scattered oil globules; upper lip emarginate and hooded; middle lobe of lower lip emarginate. Stamens exserted; fertile arm of connective almost = anthers, tip of sterile arms and apical part of style. Nutlets nearly 2 mm long, suborbicular with rounded keel.

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

Flowering: Jun.–Dec.