Nepeta nepetella, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1972, Flora Europaea. Volume 3. Diapensiacea to Myoporaceae, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press : 160

14. N. nepetella L. , Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 2: 1096 (1759)

(inch N. amethystina Poiret , N. aragonensis Lam. , N. boissieri Willk. , N. murcica Guiräo ex Willk. ).

Stems 30-80 cm, branched, pubescent to velutinous. Leaves 1-4 x 0-5-2 cm, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, truncate, rarely ovate and cordate at base, crenate to deeply dentate, grey-green to green, pubescent to velutinous or lanate, usually glandular; petiole up to 15 mm. Inflorescence usuallybranched. Bracts leaf-like below; bracteoles 2-4 mm, linear-lanceolate. Calyx 5-8 mm, pubescent to villous; teeth triangular, often tinged with pink or blue. Corolla 10- 12 mm, cylindrical-campanulate, distinctly exserted from calyx, curved, white, pink or bluish-violet. 2« = 34. S.W. Europe, extending eastwards to S. Italy. BI Ga Hs It.

This species is exceedingly polymorphic, particularly in Spain, from where numerous variants have been accorded specific status in the past. Its variation requires further criticalstudy but appears in part to be linked with habitat and altitudinal factors. The most extreme variants have very small, deeply dentate leaves and slender, few-flowered inflorescences ( N. boissieri Willk. , Bot. Zeit. 15: 219 (1857)) or are completely covered with a lanate indumentum (N. mallophora Webb & Heldr. ex Nyman, Consp. 585 (1881)). Nevertheless these are linked by continuous variation with more normal plants. Plants with a bluish-violet corolla are restricted to the Iberian peninsulaand North Africa and have been distinguished as N. nepetella subsp. amethystina (Poiret) Briq. , Lab. Alp. Marit. 368 (1893). Plants with pink or white corolla are found throughout the range of the species in Europe.