Lamiaceae

N. trachonitica Post in J. Linn. Soc. (Bot.) 24:439 (1888). Syn: N. purpurea Náb. in Publ. Fac. Sci. Univ. Masaryk Brno 70: 55, t. 7 f. 4 (1926)!
Perennial; stems several, erect, sturdy, quadrangular, 35-110 cm, un-branched, glabrous or finely pilose, eglandular. Leaves ovate-triangular, 4-7(-9) x 2.5-4 cm, coarsely crenate-serrate, finely eglandular-pilose, cordate to truncate; petiole 5-22 mm. Inflorescence an oblong 'spike', 6-10 x 3.5 cm; verticillasters c. 20-40-flowered, conferted. Bracteoles linear-filiform to narrowly lanceolate, clearly shorter than calyces. Calyx tubular, c. 11(-20) mm, straight; mouth straight, softly eglandular-pilose; teeth variable in length, 3.5-8 mm, usually aristate. Corolla dark reddish-purple, c. 20 mm; tube narrow, straight, clearly exserted from teeth of calyx, or included. Nutlets ± oblong, trigonous, c. 2.5 x 2 mm, tuberculate. Fl. 5-6. Rocky slopes, in Quercusscrub, 1100-2150 m.
Type: [Syria] inter ruinas Shuhbak ditionis Trachonitis (vulgo el-Leja), [1886, G. Post] (Holo. K!).
S.E. Anatolia; scarce and scattered. B7 Elaziğ: Harput, Uelbe, Sint. 1889: 491! Malatya: 36 km from Malatya to Adıyaman, 1150 m, Hub.-Mor. 9124! B9 Siirt: 10 km S.W. of Mukuş, Delan De., 1800 m, Frödin 1939:256! C8 Mardin: 5 km E. of Mardin, 1100 m, D. 28591! C9 Hakkari: Hasitha(Aşutka), 2100 m, Nábĕlek 1496 (type of N. purpurea)! C10 Hakkari: above Ziri, S. of Cilo Da., 2130 m, Trelawny 1832!
N. Iraq, Syrian Desert (Djebel Druze). Ir.-Tur. element. Distinctive on account of tall stature, oblong spike and maroon corollas. It shows remarkable variation in the length of the calyx teeth. Without any obvious close ally.