Elsholtzia griffithii Hook.f.

Bongcheewin, B., Chantaranothai, P. & Paton, A., 2015, Elsholtzia (Lamiaceae) in Thailand, Blumea 59 (3), pp. 209-214 : 211

3. Elsholtzia griffithii Hook.f. — Fig. 1a

Elsholtzia griffithii Hook.f. (1885) 644; Mukerjee (1940) 90; Press (1982) 70. — Type: Griffiith 3975 (holotype K (Herb.Hookerianum) (http://specimens. kew.org/herbarium/K000192608), last acc. 16 Feb. 2015 )), India, Upper Assam, Mishmi Hills.

Dysophylla communis Collett & Hemsl. (1891) 114. — Elsholtzia communis (Collett & Hemsl.) Diels , syn. nov., (1912) 47; Mukerjee (1940) 90; Press (1982) 69. — Type: Collett 56 (holotype K (http: //specimens.kew.org/herbarium/K000881719, last acc. 30Apr.2015 )), Myanmar, Shan Hills, 1200 m, Nov. 1887.

Annual herb up to 40 cm tall. Stems erect, dark purple, shiny, white pubescent, glabrescent at base. Leaves ovate or ovate-elliptic, 3–6 by 1–2 cm, base attenuate, margin serrate or deeply serrate, pubescent with translucent yellow dots on both sides; petioles 8–10 mm long. Inflorescence terminal and axillary, compact, adjacent verticils overlapping, cylindrical, 3–8 cm long; bracts narrowly lanceolate, 2–3 by 0.2–0.3 mm, pubescent on both sides; bracteoles linear, pubescent. Calyx tubular, 2–2.5 mm long at anthesis; tube slightly ventricose, 1.5–1.8 mm long, densely pubescent outside, glabrous inside; lobes unequal, ovate, apex acute, margin ciliate, puberulous outside, glabrous inside; lower lip shorter than the upper. Corolla lilac, funnel-shaped; tube c. 2.5 mm long, hispidulous outside, glabrescent with an annulus inside; lobes slightly undulate; lateral lobes ovate; median lobe slightly emarginate; lower lip elliptic-ovate. Stamens 4, slightly exserted, glabrous. Style slightly exserted. Nutlets 4, oblong, 0.6 mm long.

Distribution — India, Myanmar, Thailand (N: Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai; possibly introduced).

Vernacular name — Phak loom poom.

Ecology — Cultivated in home gardens, in disturbed forest or mountain valleys, 400–600 m altitude. Flowering and fruiting: November to February.

Specimens examined.Bongcheewin 506, 940; Budsara & Suriya 1; Lakshnakara 1520.

Note — Elsholtzia griffithii is morphologically similar to E. communis in leaf size, inflorescence, floral characters and the distribution range. Both species are inseparable based on specimen examination of a broader range from India, China, Myanmar and Vietnam and E. communis is thus reduced to a synonym under E. griffithii , the earlier name.

Figures

Fig. 1 a. Elsholtzia griffithii Hook.f. b. E. kachinensis Prain, compact inflorescence form; c. lax inflorescence form; d. E. stachyodes (Link) Raizada & Saxena.