Lamiaceae

N. fissa C.A. Meyer, Verz. Pfl. Cauc. 93 (1831). Hedge in Notes R.B.G. Edinb. 24:51-71 (1962). Syn: N. rarifolia C. Koch in Linnaea 21:676 (1848); TV. virgata C. Koch, loc. cit. (1848); TV. calvertii Boiss., Diagn. ser. 2(4):25 (1859); TV. trautvetteri Boiss. & Buhse in Nouv. Mem. Soc. Nat. Mosc. 12:175 (1860); TV. gracilescens Boiss., Fl. Or. 4:647 (1879); TV. galatica Bornm. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. 7:241 (1899)! N. velutina Pojark. in Not. Syst. (Leningrad) 15:312(1953). Ic: Fl. URSS 20: t. 21 f. 3 (1954), as N. velutina.
Perennial; stem ± erect, 20-95 cm, glabrous to densely and shortly puber-ulous. Leaves usually ± triangular, rarely rhomboid or reniform, 1.4-5 x 1.4-4.5 cm, base truncate or cordate, rarely cuneate, crenate to coarsely dentate, lightly to densely puberulous; petiole 0.7-4.8 cm. Inflorescence usually lax, at least lower cymes pedunculate, flowers congested or loose. Bracteoles lanceolate-elliptic to elliptic-oblong, much shorter than calyx. Calyx tubular, ± straight, 6-8(-9) mm, mouth oblique, teeth acuminate or blunt, ovate-oblong to triangular, much shorter than tube, lower lip deeply cleft, ± pubescent to scabridulous, glandular or not, often purple. Corolla blue or lilac to purple, 10-21 mm, exserted from calyx teeth. Nutlets elliptic to oblong, ± trigonous, smooth, c. 1.7 x 1 ram. Fl. 6-9. Volcanic and serpentine rocks, screes, slopes, steppe, dry or moist banks, (540-)1100-1950 m.
Type: [USSR, Azerbaijan] in locis lapidosis aridis montium Talüsch (Talysh) prope pagos Siwirs et Swant, 540-1205 m, C.A. Meyer [797] (holo. LE, photo!).
Inner Anatolia. A5 Tokat: Pontus Galaticus between Amasya and Kayseri, 1200 m, Bornm. 1889:1251 (type of TV. galatica)! A6 Sivas: Sivas to Suşehri, c. 3 km W. of Yapi köyü nr Şerefiye, 1510 m, Buttler 14026! A7 Gümüşane: Gouans, Jamurdere nr Sobran, Sint. 1894:6096! A8 Erzurum: Tortum G., 1250 m, Stn. & Hend. 6117! A9 Kars: 30 km from Horasan to Karakurt in Aras gorge, 1500 m, D. 46505! B3 Eskişehir: 12 km S.W. of Eskişehir towards Kütahya, 20 vi 1950, Reese! B6 Sivas: 18 km S. of Zara, 1500 m, Sorger 69-37-30! B7 Erzincan: c. 12 km from Erzincan to Kelkit, 1500 m, D. 31910! B8 Erzurum: Tercan to Selepur, 1400 m, D. 30972! B9 Van: Erek Da., 1980 m, D. 22907! B10 Kars: Takjalta to Sardar Bulag (Serdar Bulak), B. Post 1910:2058! C5 Konya: d. Ereğli, Aydos Da., 1600 m, Erik 2770! C9 Hakkari: Zap gorge nr Dezi, c. 1600 m, D. 24020! C10 Hakkari: Nehil Çayi, 14 km from Yüksekova to Hakkari, 1800 m, D. 45861!
Caucasia, N., N.W, W. & C. Iran, N. Iraq. Ir.-Tur. element. Variation within TV. fissa has already been discussed (Hedgef op. cit.) and material collected since then does nothing to alter the conclusions reached. Forms with a very loose inflorescence having soon deciduous flowers, short bracteoles and short, broad, blunt calyx teeth have been noted from Gümüşane, Elaziğ and Hakkari vilayets: all are flowering late in the season, in August and September. Early records of TV. teucriifolia Willd. from Turkey refer toN. fissa.