Phlomis
Encyclopedia
Phlomis is a genus of about 100 species of herbaceous
plants, subshrub
s and shrub
s in the family Lamiaceae
, native from the Mediterranean region east across central Asia
to China
. Common names include Jerusalem Sage and Lampwick Plant.
The overall size varies between species from 30 cm tall up to 2 m tall. The leaves
are entire, opposite and decussate (each leaf pair at right angles to the next) and rugose or reticulate veined. The bract
s (floral leaves) are similar or different from the lower leaves. All parts are frequently covered with hairs. Bracteoles, ovate, lanceolate or linear
. The flower
s are arranged in whorls (verticillasters) round the stems which are usually square in section with rounded corners, although tomentum
on the stems can make them appear circular. The colour of the flowers varies from yellow to pink, purple and white. The calyx
is tubular
or campanulate with five or ten veins visible. Five teeth, either all equal or with the outer two longer than the others. The upper lip is hood shaped and laterally compressed (P. tuberosa, however, has an uncompressed lip with a dense bearded edge). The lower lip is trifid, the central lobe being larger than the lateral ones. There are four stamen
s ascending under the upper lip. Anther with forked end, the upper fork being shorter than the lower. The fruit
s are four three-sided, nutlet
s, and sometimes topped with hair, sometimes glabrous. The root system can be very extensive; roots of 6 week seedlings have been measured at 0.7 m.
Phlomis species are used as food plants by the larva
e of some Lepidoptera
species including the Coleophora
case-bearers C. phlomidella and C. phlomidis, which both feed exclusively on Phlomis spp.
There are details of a Large Collection of Phlomis at http://www.nccpg.com/gloucestershire/phlomis.html
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
plants, subshrub
Subshrub
A subshrub or dwarf shrub is a short woody plant. Prostrate shrub is a similar term.It is distinguished from a shrub by its ground-hugging stems and lower height, with overwintering perennial woody growth typically less than 10–20 cm tall, or by being only weakly woody and/or persisting...
s and shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s in the family Lamiaceae
Lamiaceae
The mints, taxonomically known as Lamiaceae or Labiatae, are a family of flowering plants. They have traditionally been considered closely related to Verbenaceae, but in the 1990s, phylogenetic studies suggested that many genera classified in Verbenaceae belong instead in Lamiaceae...
, native from the Mediterranean region east across central Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Common names include Jerusalem Sage and Lampwick Plant.
The overall size varies between species from 30 cm tall up to 2 m tall. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are entire, opposite and decussate (each leaf pair at right angles to the next) and rugose or reticulate veined. The bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
s (floral leaves) are similar or different from the lower leaves. All parts are frequently covered with hairs. Bracteoles, ovate, lanceolate or linear
Linear
In mathematics, a linear map or function f is a function which satisfies the following two properties:* Additivity : f = f + f...
. The flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are arranged in whorls (verticillasters) round the stems which are usually square in section with rounded corners, although tomentum
Tomentum
Tomentum may refer to the following:*In botany, a covering of closely matted or fine hairs on plant leaves. *A network of minute blood vessels in the brain.* Tomentum in zoology are a short, soft pubescence...
on the stems can make them appear circular. The colour of the flowers varies from yellow to pink, purple and white. The calyx
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
is tubular
Tubular
Tubular may refer to:*the form of a cylinder or tube*Tubular, a television-related entertainment blog on the Houston Chronicle website*Tubular, a level in the video game Super Mario World...
or campanulate with five or ten veins visible. Five teeth, either all equal or with the outer two longer than the others. The upper lip is hood shaped and laterally compressed (P. tuberosa, however, has an uncompressed lip with a dense bearded edge). The lower lip is trifid, the central lobe being larger than the lateral ones. There are four stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s ascending under the upper lip. Anther with forked end, the upper fork being shorter than the lower. The fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s are four three-sided, nutlet
Nutlet
Nutlet may refer to one of the following.*A small nut.*In botany, a nutlet is a pyrena or pyrene, which is a seed covered by a stony layer, such as the kernel of a drupe....
s, and sometimes topped with hair, sometimes glabrous. The root system can be very extensive; roots of 6 week seedlings have been measured at 0.7 m.
Phlomis species are used as food plants by the larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e of some Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
species including the Coleophora
Coleophora
Coleophora is a very large genus of moths of the family Coleophoridae. It contains some 1,350 described species. The genus is represented on all continents, but the majority are found in the Nearctic and Palaearctic regions...
case-bearers C. phlomidella and C. phlomidis, which both feed exclusively on Phlomis spp.
There are details of a Large Collection of Phlomis at http://www.nccpg.com/gloucestershire/phlomis.html