e-Key v3 - *Marrubium
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Lamiaceae - Lamioideae - *Marrubium L.

Description :

  • Perennial herbs, usually tomentose or lanate
  • Leaves petiolate, rugose, toothed
  • Inflorescences of spaced verticils; verticils dense, often glomerate, many-flowered; bracts leaf-like, becoming smaller towards apex; bracteoles usually present, linear-subulate; flowers sessile
  • Calyx tubular, widening towards mouth, 5-10-nerved, densely hairy inside mouth; teeth 10, subequal, spine-tipped, recurved or hooked
  • Corolla small, white to purplish; tube included in calyx, glabrous or with a ring of hairs within; upper lip erect, almost flat or concave, almost entire to deeply 2-fid; lower lip slightly longer than upper, spreading, 3-fid, middle lobe broader and emarginate
  • Stamens 4, didynamous, included in corolla lobe, anterior pair the longer; anthers 2-thecous, thecae divaricate, confluent
  • Style 2-lobed at apex, lobes obtuse
  • Nutlets ovoid, smooth truncate at apex
  • x = 17 (7, 9) (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • *Marrubium L.
    • Linnaeus: 582 (1753)
    • Linnaeus: 254 (1754)
    • Bentham: 1206 (1876)
    • Briquet: 230 (1896)
    • Cullen: 137 (1972)
    • Codd: 25 (1985)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species 30, natives of Europe, N Africa and Asia
  • Southern Africa : Species 1: * Marrubium vulgare L. from Europe is now a widespread weed in E Free State, Lesotho and Eastern Cape

References:

  • BENTHAM, G. 1876. Labiatae . In G. Bentham & J.D. Hooker, Genera plantarum 2. Lovell Reeve & Co., Covent Garden
  • BRIQUET, J. 1895-1897. Labiatae . Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien 4,3a
  • CODD, L.E. 1985. Lamiaceae . Flora of southern Africa 28
  • CULLEN, J. 1972. Marrubium . Flora europaea 3
  • LINNAEUS, C. 1753. Species plantarum . Salvius, Stockholm
  • LINNAEUS, C. 1754. Genera plantarum , edn 5. Salvius, Stockholm