Lamiaceae

N. racemosa Lam., Encycl. 1:711 (1785). Syn: N. mussinii Sprengel in Henck., Adumbr. PI. Hal. 15 (1806); N. reichenbachiana Fisch. & Mey. in Ind. Sem. Horti Petrop. 8:68 (1841); N. marifolia Boiss. & Huet in Boiss., Diagn. ser. 2(4):24 (1859)! non Cav. (1800); N. grandiflora Bieb. var. racemosa (Lam.) Kusn. in Uchen. Zap. Imp. Yur'evsk. Univ. 2:48 (1898-9); N. grandiflora Bieb. var. mussinii (Sprengel) Kusn., loc. cit. (1898-9); N. grandiflora Bieb. var. marifolia (Boiss. & Huet) Kusn., loc. cit. (1898-9). Ic: Fl. URSS 20: t. 22 f. 3 (1959), as N. reichenbachiana. Map 42.
Perennial, aromatic; stems many, decumbent, ascending or erect, 20-50 cm, thickly ± adpressed eglandular-tomentose with scattered sessile glands. Leaves small, ± horizontally spreading, 1-3 x 0.5-2(-2.5) cm, ovate, crenate, cordate, venation prominent, ± discolorous, ± densely adpressed canescent below with numerous sessile glands; petiole 0.3-1.5 cm. Inflorescence of many c. 7-15-flowered distant verticillasters, lowermost shortly pedunculate. Bracteoles inconspicuous, narrowly lanceolate, 2-3 mm. Calyx broadly tubular, 6-10 mm, densely softly tomentose, ± violet, strongly curved, mouth oblique; upper teeth 1-2 mm, clearly longer than lower, narrowly lanceolate. Corolla deep violet to lilac-blue, 10-18 mm; tube narrow, widening above, curved. Nutlets oblong to obovoid, rounded-trigonous, 1.8-2.5 x 1.2 mm, flatly tuberculate. Fl. 6-8. Rocky limestone and igneous slopes, screes, with Pinus sylvestris, fieldsides, 1500-2800 m.
Described from the Levant: 'Cataria orientalis, lavandulae flore', Tourne-fort (holo. P-Tourn. 1432, photo!).
E. Anatolia. A4 Ankara: 31 km N. of Kizilcahamam, 1500 m, Sorger 77-51-20! A7 Gümüşane: Karagoelldagh (Karagöl Da.), Sint. 1894:7021! A8 Gümüşane: Bayburt, 1630 m, Hub.-Mor. 14204! Erzurum: Tortum, 1600 m, T. Baytop (ISTE 19914)! Çoruh: nr Artvin (Grossheim 7: map 373). A9 Kars: Ardahan to Yalnizçam, 1900 m, D. 29605! Erzurum: 15 km E. of Kosor, Göle to Oltu, Sauer 323a! B8 Erzurum: Tech Da. (Palandöken Da.), Huet (type of N. marifolia)!Erzincan: Tercan to Aşkale, 1850 m, D. 29317! Muş: 4.5 km S. of Seferek bakimevi, 2030 m, Buttler 16021! B9 Bitlis: Nemrut Da., 2900 m, Tatli 529! Van: Şuşanis Da., 2200 m, Hub.-Mor. 9120! Erzurum: 5 km W. of Karayazi, S. of Çakmak Da., Jenkins 2398! B10 Ağri: Ararat (Ağri Da.), Szovits (type of N. reichenbachiana, photo)! 4 km N. of Doğubayazit, 1600 m, Ehrend. et al. 787-105!
Caucasia, N. & N.W. Iran. Ir.-Tur. element. Typically a low-growing decumbent plant with small often discolorous leaves, softly tomentose violet-coloured calyces with short teeth and fairly short corollas. Some specimens (e.g. B9 Van: Erek Da., 2000 m, D. 2295 1! B9 Bitlis: 3 km N. of Bitlis, Renz [Hub.-Mor. 11318])! are rather intermediate between TV. racemosa and TV. transcaucasica. The first specimen cited above is geographically disjunct from the rest but other than a thinner leaf indumentum appears not to differ from them.