Teucrium chamaedrys

Last updated

Wall germander
Gamander Passau.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Teucrium
Species:
T. chamaedrys
Binomial name
Teucrium chamaedrys
L.

Teucrium chamaedrys, the wall germander, [1] is a species of plant native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe and North Africa, and the Middle East as far as Iran. [2] [3] [4] [5] It is used as an ornamental.

Contents

Subspecies

  1. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. albarracinii(Pau) Rech.f. - France, Spain
  2. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. algerienseRech.f. - Algeria
  3. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. chamaedrys - central + southern Europe, Caucasus, Turkey, Iran
  4. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. germanicum(F.Herm.) Rech.f. - France, Germany
  5. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. gracile(Batt.) Rech.f. - Algeria, Morocco
  6. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. lydiumO.Schwarz - Greece, Turkey
  7. Teucrium chamaedrys var. multinodumBordz. - Caucasus
  8. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. nuchense(K.Koch) Rech.f. - Caucasus
  9. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. olympicumRech.f. - Greece
  10. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. pectinatumRech.f. - France, Italy
  11. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. pinnatifidum(Sennen) Rech.f. - France, Spain
  12. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. sinuatum(Celak.) Rech.f. - Iran, Iraq, Turkey
  13. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. syspirense(K.Koch) Rech.f. - Crimea, Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan
  14. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. tauricolaRech.f. - Turkey, Syria
  15. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. trapezunticumRech.f. - Caucasus, Turkey

Appearance

Wall germander is a creeping evergreen perennial 6–18 inches tall. Its scalloped, opposite leaves are 0.5–1.5 inches long, dark green, and shiny. In late summer, tubular flowers grow in whorls from the leaf axils.

Dietary supplements

Bans

Dietary supplements using germander are highly hepatotoxic (causing liver damage). Its sale was prohibited in France by the French Ministry of Health in April 1992. It causes acute hepatitis with an onset delay of 6 weeks to 6 months, and as of 1992 there has been at least one known case of fatal hepatic dysfunction (death from liver damage). [6] As of 2017 its sale has been prohibited in the USA. [7]

History

Prior to being identified as hepatotoxic, this herb was sold in European pharmacies and health specialty stores for a variety of uses, including the following: [8]

Cultivation

Wall germander can be grown in USDA Zones 5–10. It may be propagated by vegetative cuttings or by the division of established clumps.

References

  1. ↑ NRCS. "Teucrium chamaedrys". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  2. ↑ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. ↑ Altervista Flora Italiana
  4. ↑ Castroviejo, S. & al. (eds.) (2010). Flora Iberica 12: 1-650. Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Madrid.
  5. ↑ Dobignard, A. & Chatelain, C. (2012). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 4: 1-431. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.
  6. ↑ Mostera-Kara, N., A. Pauwels, E. Pines, M. Biour, and V.G. Levy. 1992. Fatal Hepatitis After Herbal Tea. The Lancet. 34 (Sept. 12):674. via https://www.medherb.com/SAMPLE.HTM
  7. ↑ Brown AC (September 2017). "Liver toxicity related to herbs and dietary supplements: Online table of case reports. Part 2 of 5 series". Food Chem Toxicol (Review). 107 (Pt A): 472–501. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2016.07.001. PMID   27402097.
  8. ↑ WHO. 1992. Herbal Medicines Containing Germander Withdrawn. PHA Information Exchange Service, Alert No. 27, 19 May 1992. via https://www.medherb.com/SAMPLE.HTM retrieved 17 April, 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.