Teucrium scorodonia L.

Rhizomatous perennial with hairy stems to c. 50 cm tall, woody at base. Petioles to c. 1.5 cm long, often much shorter. Lamina 1.5 × 0.75–2.5 cm, ovate or oblong-ovate, ± rugose, ± crenate, villous below, hairy above; base subcordate; apex obtuse or subacute. Infl. terminal, often branched, to c. 15 cm long at fruiting. Bracts ovate, < calyx. Pedicels short. Calyx c. 5 mm long, campanulate, gibbous at base, hairy, strongly veined at fruiting. Corolla tube 8–9 mm long, hairy; limb deflexed, hairy outside, yellowish green; terminal lobe c. 3 mm diam., rounded; lateral lobes c. 1.5 mm long, ± ovate-oblong, obtuse. Filaments hairy, purplish. Nutlets c. 1.2 mm long, obovoid, dark brown, almost smooth.

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

Flowering: Dec.–Feb.