L album L., Sp. Pl. 579 (1753). Syn: L.vulgatum Bentham var. album (L.) Bentham, Lab. Gen. Sp. 514(1834); L. brachyodon (Bordz.)Kuprian. in Not. Syst. (Leningrad) 14:345 (1951). Ic: Bonnier, Fl. Compl. Fγ., Suisse et Belg. 9: t. 482(1927). Map 25.
Glabrous to pilose stoloniferous perennial. Stems 17-60 cm or more, erect or ascending, strongly quadrangular, often purplish. Leaves with 10-45 mm petioles, lamina broadly ovate, 10-60 x 10-50 mm, obtuse to acute, cordate to truncate, coarsely crenate to dentate or doubly dentate, pubescent-pilose or ± glabrous, sparingly glandular. Bracts lanceolate to ovate, lower usually acute, upper acuminate. Verticillasters 2-8, 8-10-flowered, distant. Bracteoles 1-7 mm. Calyx 9-15 mm; teeth 4-8.5 mm, subequal to or slightly longer than tube, ciliate-setulose, eglandular or with a few glands near apex. Corolla white, 20-27 mm; tube 6.5-16 mm, straight, with annulus; upper lip 9-18 mm,entire; lower lip 4.5-10 mm. Nutlets 2.8-3.3 x (1.4-)1.6 mm, dark brown or greyish-brown. Fl. 5-8. Abies forest, Quercus scrub, rocky slopes (usually igneous), streamsides, 990-3100 m.
Described from Europe (Hb. Linn. 733/8, 9, 10, photos!).
N.E., Inner & S. Anatolia. A7 Giresun: Giresun to Kulakkaya, between Erimezköy and Kulakkaya, 1420 m, 6 vii 1958, Simon. A8 Gümüşane: Kop Da., Bayburt, 2345 m, Balls 1787! A9 Kars: Karaurgan, 1900 m, D. 29466! B5 Kayseri: Bakir Da. above Kisge, 1400-1700 m, D. 19315! B8 Erzurum: Erzurum, Zohrab 519! B9 Bitlis: Tatvan to Küçüksu, 1750 m, D. 44310! B10 Kars: N.E. slope of Ağri Da. nr Serdar Bulak, 2500 m, D. 43725! C5 Içel: c. 40 km S. of Pozanti, 1100 m, It. Leyd. 1959:979! C9 Hakkari: Cilo Da. below Cilo Y., 2745 m, D. 24230! C10 Hakkari: Mor Da., 3000 m, Watson et al. 2970!
Temperate Eurasia, but rare or absent in the Mediterranean area. Euro-Sib, element.