Family |
Lamiaceae
Scutellaria tomentosa
Bertol.
Scutellaria tomentosa Bertol.
(First published in Misc. Bot. 2: 11; 1843. Treated in Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 3, p. 112; 1983)
• Life-form & habit: Perennial, suffrutescent at the base; stems erect or ascending, 20–60 cm, rigid, simple or with opposite branches, covered with dense velvety indumentum, somewhat viscid.
• Leaves: Lower leaves small, rugose, oblong, incised-crenate, truncate at base, velvety on both surfaces; floral leaves ovate, acute, herbaceous, exceeding the calyx.
• Inflorescence & flowers: Flowers opposite, in loose racemes. Corolla c. 2 cm, yellow, often tinged red on the upper lip.
• Fruit: Nutlets small, ovoid, pubescent.
• Phenology: Flowers April–August.
• Habitat & elevation: Subarid regions, mountains and interior plains.
• Lebanese distribution: Above Ma‘asser, Jabal Barouk; Dimane to Yammouneh; Cheba‘a (Hermon); Rachaya; Zahlé, Ksara, Bardaouni; Ras Baalbeck.
• Syrian distribution: Damascus and surroundings (Mayssaloun, Raboué, Qasyoun, Barzé), Bloudane, Zebdani, Ma‘loula, Hauran, Aleppo, Saraqeb, Jabal Sema‘ane.
• Native range: Iran, Iraq, Lebanon–Syria, Palestine, Sinai, Turkey. (POWO)
⚠️ Taxonomic note: Once confused with S. fruticosa Desf. ex Pers. (non Willemet). Mouterde emphasized its distinctive velvety indumentum, taller stature (20–60 cm), and long racemes with yellow corollas often tinged red.