Teucrium

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Germanders
Teucrium eremaeum - Flickr - Kevin Thiele.jpg
Teucrium eremaeum
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Subfamily: Ajugoideae
Genus: Teucrium
L. (1753)
Type species
Teucrium fruticans
L.
Species

See List of Teucrium species

Synonyms [1]
List
Wild Teucrium in Behbahan, Iran Wild Teucrium in Behbahan, Iran.jpg
Wild Teucrium in Behbahan, Iran

Teucrium is a cosmopolitan genus of flowering plants in the mint family Lamiaceae, commonly known as germanders. [2] Plants in this genus are perennial herbs or shrubs, with branches that are more or less square in cross-section, leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and flowers arranged in thyrses, the corolla with mostly white to cream-coloured, lobed petals.

Contents

Description

Plants in the genus Teucrium are perennial herbs or shrubs with four-cornered stems, often with simple hairs and sessile glands. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, simple or with three leaflets sometimes with lobed or serrated edges. The flowers are arranged in a thyrse, sometimes in a cyme in leaf axils. The flowers have five more or less similar sepals fused at the base, and the corolla is white or cream-coloured with five lobes forming two lips. The upper lip is usually much reduced in size and the lower lip has three lobes, the central lobe usually larger than the side lobes. There are four stamens attached near the base of the petals and the fruit is a schizocarp with four segments. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Taxonomy

The genus Teucrium was first formally described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum . [8] [9] The name Teucrium was used by Pedanius Dioscorides for several species in this genus, and is believed to refer to King Teucer of Troy who used the plant in his medicine. [10] [11]

Species

(See List of Teucrium species)

Scurfy germander (T. albicaule) Teucrium albicaule.jpg
Scurfy germander ( T. albicaule )
Teucrium capitatum Teucrium capitatum2006.jpg
Teucrium capitatum
Tree germander (T. fruticans) Teucrium fruticans detail.JPG
Tree germander ( T. fruticans )

Teucrium is a cosmopolitan genus with about 300 species, the distribution centred on the Mediterranean. There are about thirteen species endemic to Australia. [4] [5]

Fossil record

Teucrium tatjanae seed fossils are known from the Oligocene, Miocene and Pliocene of western Siberia, Miocene and Pliocene of central and southern Russia and Miocene of Lusatia. The fossil seeds are similar to seeds of the extant Teucrium orientale. [12] Teucrium pripiatense seed fossils have been described from the Pliocene Borsoni Formation in the Rhön Mountains of central Germany. [13]

Related Research Articles

<i>Stachys</i> Genus of plants in the sage family

Stachys is a genus of plants, one of the largest in the mint family Lamiaceae. Estimates of the number of species vary from about 300, to about 450. Stachys is in the subfamily Lamioideae and its type species is Stachys sylvatica. The precise extent of the genus and its relationship to other genera in the subfamily are poorly known.

<i>Stratiotes</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Hydrocharitaceae

Stratiotes is a genus of submerged aquatic plant commonly known as water soldiers, described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1753. Several specific names have been coined within the genus, but at present only one is recognized: Stratiotes aloides. native to Europe and NW Asia.

<i>Valeriana</i> Genus of flowering plants in the honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae

Valeriana is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caprifoliaceae, members of which may be commonly known as valerians. It contains many species, including the garden valerian, Valeriana officinalis. Species are native to all continents except Antarctica, with centers of diversity in Eurasia and South America.

<i>Coriaria</i> Genus of flowering plants

Coriaria is the sole genus in the family Coriariaceae, which was described by Linnaeus in 1753. It includes 14 species of small trees, shrubs and subshrubs, with a widespread but disjunct distribution across warm temperate regions of the world, occurring as far apart as the Mediterranean region, southern and eastern Asia, New Zealand, the Pacific Ocean islands, and Central and South America.

<i>Sparganium</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Typhaceae

Sparganium (bur-reed) is a genus of flowering plants, described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1753. It is widespread in wet areas in temperate regions of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The plants are perennial marsh plants that can grow to 3.5 m, with epicene flowers.

<i>Hemiandra</i> Genus of flowering plants

Hemiandra is a genus of nine species of flowering plants of the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. Plants in the genus Hemiandra are shrubs with sessile leaves arranged in opposite pairs, petals with five lobes arranged in two "lips" and the fruit a capsule usually containing four nuts.

<i>Acanthus mollis</i> Species of flowering plant

Acanthus mollis, commonly known as bear's breeches, sea dock, bear's foot plant, sea holly, gator plant or oyster plant, is a species of plant in the family Acanthaceae and is native to the Mediterranean region. It is a leafy, clump-forming perennial herb, with a rosette of relatively large, lobed or toothed leaves, and purplish and white flowers on an erect spike.

<i>Cephalanthus</i> Genus of flowering plants

Cephalanthus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. There are about six species that are commonly known as buttonbush.

<i>Teucrium scorodonia</i> Species of herb

Teucrium scorodonia, common name the woodland germander or wood sage, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Teucrium of the family Lamiaceae. It is native to Western Europe and Tunisia, but cultivated in many places as an ornamental plant in gardens, and naturalized in several regions.

<i>Stachys arvensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Stachys arvensis is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common names field woundwort and staggerweed. It is native to Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. It is known on other continents as an introduced species and widespread weed.

<i>Teucrium cubense</i> Species of flowering plant

Teucrium cubense is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common names small coastal germander and dwarf germander. It is native to a section of the Americas that includes the southwestern - south-central United States, parts of the Caribbean, Mexico, Costa Rica, and southern South America. In general, the plant has lobed leaves and a flower corolla with a broad lower lobe and smaller lateral lobes. The flower may be white or blue-tinged with purple speckles.

Teucrium glandulosum is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common names sticky germander and desert germander. It is native to the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, Baja California, Baja California Sur, and San Bernardino County in California. It grows in rocky desert habitat such as canyons. The plant produces three-lobed leaves on its branching stem. The flowers have purple-streaked white corollas up to 2 centimeters long each with a large lower lobe and smaller lateral lobes. The inside of the flower is very hairy.

<i>Teucrium botrys</i> Species of flowering plant

Teucrium botrys, the cutleaf germander or cut-leaved germander is a low to short downy annual, sometimes biennial, plant. It was noted by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 and is classified as part of the genus Teucrium in the family Lamiaceae. It has oval, but deeply cut leaves, which appear almost pinnate in form. Its flowers are two-lipped but with the upper lip diminutive. They are pink to purple and form from the stem at the base of the leaves, in whorls. It is in flower in the northern hemisphere from June to October. It prefers limy soils and bare stony ground. It is native to Western Europe, especially France and Germany. It has been introduced into north-eastern North America.

<i>Teucrium racemosum</i> Species of plant

Teucrium racemosum, also commonly referred to as either the grey germander or forest germander, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is endemic to Australia and is found in all mainland states, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. It grows in floodplains, dry lake beds and open woodlands. A perennial herb, it has four-sided, densely hairy stems, narrow egg-shaped leaves, and white flowers usually arranged singly in leaf axils. It grows to be between 15 and 40 cm tall.

<i>Teucrium canadense</i> Species of herb

Teucrium canadense, commonly known as Canada germander, American germander, or wood sage, is a perennial herb in the family Lamiaceae. It is native to North America where it is found across the contiguous states of the United States and in much of Canada.

<i>Teucrium albicaule</i> Species of flowering plant

Teucrium albicaule, commonly known as scurfy germander, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to inland areas of Australia. It is a hoary, perennial herb that spreads by root suckers, forming dense stands. The leaves are trifoliate and the white flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils.

Teucrium betchei is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a perennial herb or undershrub with rod-like stems, linear to very narrow lance-shaped leaves and white flowers.

Teucrium pilbaranum is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is an upright subshrub with three-part or deeply-lobed leaves and white flowers.

Teucrium reidii is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to north-western South Australia. It is a shrub with egg-shaped leaves with blunt teeth on the edges, and white flowers arranged in spike-like groups.

Teucrium sessiliflorum, commonly known as camel bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It is a tufted perennial herb with hairy, egg-shaped, lobed leaves and white or cream-coloured flowers.

References

  1. "Teucrium L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  2. USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Teucrium". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  3. "Teucrium". Flora of China. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  4. 1 2 Conn, Barry J. "Teucrium". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  5. 1 2 Conn, Barry J. "Genus Teucrium". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  6. "Teucrium". State Herbarium of South Australia. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  7. "Teucrium". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  8. "Teucrium". APNI. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  9. Linnaeus, Carl (1753). Species Plantarum. p. 562. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  10. Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 117. ISBN   9780958034180.
  11. Grieve, Maude (1971). A Modern Herbal. Courier Dover Publications. p. 351. ISBN   978-0-486-22798-6.
  12. The Pliocene flora of Kholmech, south-eastern Belarus and its correlation with other Pliocene floras of Europe by Felix Yu. VELICHKEVICH and Ewa ZASTAWNIAK - Acta Palaeobot. 43(2): 137–259, 2003
  13. The floral change in the tertiary of the Rhön mountains (Germany) by Dieter Hans Mai - Acta Paleobotanica 47(1): 135-143, 2007.