| Stachys aleurites | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Stachys |
| Species: | S. aleurites |
| Binomial name | |
| Stachys aleurites Boiss. & Heldr. [1] | |
Stachys aleurites is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae endemic to the Antalya region of Turkey. It was first published in 1848. [1]
Stachys aleurites is a woody-based, perennial herb with many moderately long, simple stems (to 60 cm), growing on calcareous rocks near the Antalya coast at an altitude of 10–1275 m (there is a further record in 1950 from Mersin). [2]
The stems and leaves at first are whitened with a thin layer of felty (arachnoid) hair on the surface, becoming mostly green with age as the hair is lost. The leaves are moderately sized (to 1.5 x 2.5 cm), oval, and crenate-serrate toothed. Its flowers are in whorls of 6-12(-20), on the upper parts of the stems; there are a number (2–6) of such whorls, and they are well-spaced except the top few which are usually close together. The flowers are white with purple streaks and spots, at times giving a general light pink appearance. Each individual flower is very short-stalked, with a calyx whose 5 lobes are notably spiny-ended, which at maturity curve strongly outward. [2]
As a regional-endemic growing in and close beside an expanding tourist city, the conservation status of this species is regarded as NT (Near Threatened) (IUCN 2017). [2]
Photographic details can be seen on iNaturalist.
Similar plants it might be confused with are Stachys bombycina (having few, well-spaced whorls (1-2(4)) of pinkish flowers, a feltier whiteness to stems and leaves that is retained in old age, and much less conspicuously spinescent calyx lobes which don't curve out at maturity); Stachys distans (having few (1-4(5)), well-spaced whorls of white flowers, stems that remain felty white in old age, but with calyx lobes that are spiny-ended and curve out in maturity); and S. pseudobombycina, which was synonymised with S. bombycina by Akçiçek (2012)). [2]
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