Phlomis
lanata
Willdenow
Enum. Pl. Hort.
Berol. Suppl. 41 (1814)
Synonyms:
P.
parvifolia C Presl
P.
microphylla Sieber
Distribution
in the wild:Crete & Karpathos,
in rocky clearings of Cupressus woodland, garigue,
cliffs, sea level to 1,600 m.
Flowering
in the wild:April–May
lanata
means woolly and refers to the
stems and calyx. Easily
characterised by its small grey elliptical or roundish leaves.
Evergreen shrub to 60 cm.
Lower leaf laminas broadly elliptic, oblong, obovate or
almost circular, wrinkled, 1.5-4.5 × 1.1-2.7 cm; petiole
0.5-2 cm. Floral leaves almost circular, obtuse, 2.3-3.5
× 1.3 -2 cm; petiole to 0.5 cm. White or yellow felted stems
with 1-2 whorls and up to 10 flowers per whorl. Whorls
5-6 cm across. Bracteoles broadly elliptical, oblanceolate
or obovate, mucronate, acuminate, 10-20 × (2-)3-7 mm. Calyx
10-15 mm with teeth to 1 mm. Bracteoles and calyx densely
felted with stellate hairs. Corolla, 20-32 mm, yellow, often
with a brownish tint to the crest of the upper lip. Nutlets
hairy. Hardy to -15°C
A
‘dwarf’ form (ultimate size not yet known) introduced in
France, with even smaller leaves is also in cultivation
and has been given the name P. lanata ‘Pygmy’
(P. lanata ‘Nana’ invalid)
Natural
hybrid:
P.
× commixta K.H. Rechinger
Denkschr.
Akad. Wiss. Wien. Math.-Nat. Kl2.Abt.1,119 (1943)
(= P.
cretica C Presl × P. lanata Willdenow)
Distribution: Crete, in clearings
of Quercus coccifera woodland at 800 m.
Leaves
2-3 cm long. Bracteoles 12-15 × 2-3 mm. Calyx 15 mm; teeth
mucros 1-1.5 mm.
P.
× sieberi Vierhapper
Öst.
Bot. Zeitschr. 65:231 (1915)
(= P.
fruticosa Linnaeus × P. lanata Willdenow)
Distribution:
Crete
