Flora-Fauna

Salvia tomentosa Mill.

(Gardeners Dictionary, ed. 8: n° 2, 1768; Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 3, p. 161; 1983)

• Life-form & habit: Pubescent, shrubby perennial, 60–100 cm tall, strongly aromatic; stems erect to ascending, branched above, covered with dense whitish tomentum.

• Leaves: Basal leaves forming a rosette, ovate to cordate, crenate-dentate, rugose, grey-green, densely tomentose on both surfaces; cauline leaves smaller, sessile, ovate-lanceolate.

• Inflorescence & flowers: Terminal, lax panicles; verticillasters 4–8-flowered, well spaced. Calyx tubular-campanulate, 12–15 mm, strongly tomentose, reddish-tinged, bilabiate with spiny teeth. Corolla 20–25 mm, violet to bluish-lilac, bilabiate; upper lip falcate, lower lip spreading, trilobed. Bracts ovate, persistent, purplish.

• Fruit: Nutlets ovoid, brown, smooth, mucilaginous when wet.

• Phenology: Flowers April–June; fruits mature in summer.

• Habitat & elevation: Rocky slopes, open scrub, and degraded woodland, mostly on limestone; 300–1,400 m.

• Lebanese distribution: Reported by Mouterde in Mount Lebanon; confirmed by Tohmé & Tohmé from Aakkar, Ehden, Ehmej, Qartaba, Jabal Moussa, Bqaatouta, and Falougha.

• Native range: Eastern Mediterranean and Near East: Greece, Cyprus, Türkiye, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, extending into NW Iran.

• Common names: Tomentose sage; Sauge tomenteuse; قصعين صخري.