Salvia verbenaca

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Lamiids
Ordo: Lamiales

Familia: Lamiaceae
Subfamilia: Nepetoideae
Tribus: Mentheae
Subtribus: Salviinae
Genus: Salvia
Subgenus: S. subg. Sclarea
Sectio: S. sect. Plethiosphace
Species: Salvia verbenaca
Name

Salvia verbenaca L., Sp. Pl. 1: 25. 1753.
References

Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species Plantarum. Tomus I: 25. Reference page.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2018. Salvia verbenaca in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2018 April 20. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2018. Salvia verbenaca. Published online. Accessed: 20 April 2018.

Vernacular names
Afrikaans: Wildesalie
català: Tàrrec comú
Cymraeg: Clari gwyllt
Deutsch: Eisenkraut-Salbei
English: wild sage
suomi: Verbenasalvia
Nederlands: Kleinbloemige salie
русский: Шалфей вербеновый

Salvia verbenaca, also known as wild clary or wild sage, is native to the British Isles, the Mediterranean region in Southern Europe, North Africa, and Near East, and in the Caucasus. It can be found as an introduced species that has naturalized in meadows in the Eastern United States.

S. verbenaca is a tall perennial herb with hairy stems and branches that erectly sprawl out. Its leaves are basal and toothed that vary from 3 to 10 cm (1.2 to 3.9 in) long. It has soft purple to violet flowers in mid summer. It is in flower from June to September, and the seeds ripen from July to October. The flowers are bisexual and are pollinated by bees. Some are also cleistogamous and pollinate themselves.

The plant is noted for attracting pollinators and wildlife. It prefers neutral and alkaline soils and needs full sun. This aromatic sage is used as a flavoring in foods and to make tea; the flowers can be added to salads.
Resources

USDA treatment -Salvia verbenaca
Salvia verbenaca - U.K. Floral images
R.B.Garden-Sydney: Salvia verbenaca

Databases
Salvia verbenaca in the CalPhotos photo database, University of California, Berkeley
"Salvia verbenaca". Calflora. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database.
"Salvia verbenaca". Plants for a Future.

Plants of Cyprus