Lamiaceae

S. orientalis L., Sp. PI. 598 (1753). i0 ' ~'yJ^J
A very variable suffrutescent perennial herb, usually repent at base. Stems 5-45 cm, obscurely tetragonal. Leaves distinctly petiolate, lamina ovate-elliptic to linear, 5-30 mm, usually obtuse, cuneate or attenuate (rarely truncate) at base, (with rare exceptions) 1.5-2 x as long as broad, weakly crenate to incised-pinnatifid or pectinate-pinnatifid, glabrous to densely canescent-tcmentose, often markedly discolorous. Inflorescence a terminal spike with tetragonal ranks of flowers (not secund), usually dense with ± imbricate bracts; bracts very variable in size and shape but often either pale greenish or deeply purple-tinged, sessile. Corolla 20-32 mm, usually yellow, sometimes reddish-spotted or with red upper or lower lip or entirely pink, bright red, brick-red or purplish, ± pubescent. Nutlets oblong, tomentellous.
A polymorphic complex extending from Spain and N.W. Africa to Sinkiang. The following 16 subspecies have been recognised mainly by a combination of characters of habit, height and mode of branching of stem, shape and degree of incision of leaves, leaf indumentum, size and shape of bracts and corolla colour. Where appropriate, the distribution of the subspecies within Turkey has been cited in a parenthesis in the key. Short descriptions are given as a further aid to correct identification. Some material cannot be accommodated within the subspecies as presently delimited, and examples of such specimens have been cited which fall outside the range of measurements etc. given in the descriptions. The existence of such morphological intermediates prompted me to adopt a broad species concept in this group.
1. Cauline leaves at least 4 x as long as broad (Inner Anatolia) m. subsp. santolinoides
1. Cauline leaves less than 4 x as long as broad
  2. Leaves pinnatifid, divided at least to midway to midrib
   3. Lower bracts pinnatifid to dentate; stems to 25 cm tall (S.E. Anatolia) j. subsp. pichleri
   3. Lower bracts entire, rarely lowermost pair with 1-2 teeth; stems not exceeding 20 cm tall
    4. Leaves pectinately lobed with narrow linear segments, divided almost to midrib, strongly discolorous, greenish above, whitish beneath (N.E. Anatolia) c. subsp. sosnowskyi
    4. Leaves divided to distinctly short of midrib, lobes ± revolute, con-colorous or weakly discolorous, greenish above and beneath (widespread) h. subsp. pinnatifida
  2. Leaves serrate, crenate or crenately lobed, divided to less than half-way to midrib
     5. Lamina of median cauline leaves not more than 8 mm (rarely more); plant prostrate, mat-forming
      6. Margins of leaves subacutely serrate; calyx densely sericeous (S.E. Anatolia) k. subsp. porphyrostegia
      6. Margins of leaves obtusely lobed; calyx not sericeous
       7. Plant greyish-incanous; margins of leaves often strongly recurved; corolla dusky crimson with yellow lower lip, rarely yellow (medium altitudes) g. subsp. pectinata
       7. Plant ± greenish, not incanous; margins of leaves not strongly recurved; corolla yellow, lower lip sometimes reddish-tinged (widespread at high altitudes) i. subsp. alpina
     5. Lamina of cauline leaves more than 8 mm (except uppermost); plant prostrate to erect, mat-forming or not
        8. Leaves markedly discolorous, silvery-tomentose beneath (N.E. Anatolia) b. subsp. orientalis
        8. Leaves concolorous or somewhat discolorous, not silvery beneath
         9. Stem 20-45 cm, erect; bracts lanceolate to ovate, ± falcately curved upwards
          10. Inflorescence lax; lamina lanceolate to oblong, 3-4 x as long as broad (E. Anatolia) n. subsp. sintenisii
          10. Inflorescence dense; leaves 1.5-2.5 x as long as broad
            11. Stem 20-35 cm, usually branched at base; leaves sparsely tomen-tellous above and beneath, margins shallowly dentate; bracts concave, not keeled (S.E. Anatolia) p. subsp. bornmuelleri
            11. Stem 30-42 cm, usually branched in upper third; leaves densely tomentose to canescent beneath, margins crenate; bracts keeled (E. Anatolia: Mesopotamia) o. subsp. haussknechtii
         9. Stem to 20 cm, prostrate or ascending; bracts broadly ovate to orbicular, not falcately curved upwards
              12. Leaves dimorphic, lowermost linear-oblong with revolute crenat-ions, densely greyish-hairy, cauline triangular-ovate (S.W. Anatolia) 1. subsp. carica
              12. Lowermost cauline leaves similar to the rest, not densely greyish-hairy
                 13. Leaves glabrous (mainly S.E. Anatolia) a. subsp. virens
                 13. Leaves ± puberulous to tomentellous at least beneath
                  14. Lower surface of leaves evenly hairy on and between veins
                    15. Leaves ± concolorous (mainly S.E. Anatolia) a. subsp. virens
                    15. Leaves discolorous (E. Anatolia, mainly Anti-Taurus) d. subsp. bicolor
                  14. Lower surface of leaves unevenly whitish-hairy, with distinctly fewer hairs on veins
                      16. Stems prostrate, 5-15 cm; petiole to 20 mm (Inner Anatolia) e. subsp. macrostegia
                      16. Stems ascending to erect, 10-20 cm; petiole 3-5 mm (E. Anatolia: Mesopotamia) f. subsp. cretacea
subsp. pichleri (Stapf) Edmondson in Notes R.B.G. Edinb. 38:54 (1980). Syn: S. pinnatifida sensu Boiss., Fl. Or. 4:683 (1879) p.p. non A. Ham. (1831); S. pichleri Stapf in Denkschr. Akad. Wien, Math.-Nat. Kl. 50(l):47 (1885)! S. persica Bornm. in Beih. Bot. Centr. 22(2):128 (1907). Figure 3. Map 13.
Stems puberulous, 15-25 cm, ascending to erect, unbranched or shortly branched above. Leaves long-petiolate(5-10mm), lamina ± ovate to triangular-ovate, incised-dentate to pinnatifid, sparsely villous, greenish on both sides. Inflorescence often lax, elongating in fruit; bracts pale green or purple, lowest dentate, ± membranous. Corolla yellow (in Turkey) or purplish with yellow lips, 25-30 mm, pubescent. Fl. 5-6. Dry stony slopes, 1700-1800 m.
Described from Iran without precise locality.
S.E. Anatolia. C10 Hakkari: Esendere, 1800 m, 25 v 1966, Eiselt! Bacirge, 1700-1800 m, D. 45277!
N. Iraq, N., N.W. & W. Iran. Ir.-Tur. element. Records of S. pinnatifida A. Ham. from Elmadağ (B4 Ankara), Tchihatcheff and from Oltu (A8/9 Erzurum), Sosnowsky are more likely to belong to subsp. pinnatifida or subsp. sosnowskyi.