Family |
Lamiaceae
Nepeta italica
L.
Nepeta italica L.
First published in Sp. Pl.: 571 (1753).
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 3, pp. 118–119, Pl. LIII, 4; 1983)
Description
Life-form & habit: Finely hairy perennial with several erect, simple or sparingly branched stems, 20–80 cm tall.
Leaves: Stalked, green and wrinkled, 1–3 cm long, with blunt rounded teeth and slightly wavy margins; nearly hairless or sparsely hairy.
Inflorescence & flowers: Numerous flower whorls, spaced below and crowded above. Bracts narrow, stiff and finely spine-tipped, approximately equalling the calyces. Calyx shortly bristly and slightly curved, with pointed teeth. Corolla white, rarely bluish, with a distinctly curved tube, almost twice as long as the calyx.
Fruit: Nutlets finely tuberculate.
Flowering and habitat
Phenology: Flowering May–September.
Habitat & elevation: Woodland and rocky slopes.
Distribution
Lebanese distribution: Jebaa, Maasser ech Chouf, Aakoura, Bhamdoun, Jezzine, Ain Zehalta, Mayrouba, Tartij, Boqayta, Faraya, Jabal Barouk, Mdeirej, Jabal Kneisse, Afqa, Sannine, Qozhaya, the Cedars, Ehden, Bcharre, Hadeth, Hadeth Cedars, Hadchit, Jabal Qammouaa, Yammouneh–Deir el Ahmar, Ain Hazir, Ainata, Mchaytiyeh, Ain Bourdai, Baalbeck, Rachaya, the Yanta road pass and Tannourine.
Syrian distribution: Slenfe, Jabal Aqra, Tell Akibrin, Jabal Semaane, Saidnaya, Wadi el Qarn, Arne, Ain Safsaf and Qalaat el Hosn.
Native range: Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Iraq, Italy, Lebanon-Syria, Palestine, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe.