Sideritis
(an old Greek name, used by Dioscorides for several plants, and derived from sideros, iron; so named on account of a supposed property of healing flesh-wounds inflicted by iron). Ironwort. SYNS. Burgs-dorffia, Hesiodia, Marrubiastrum. ORD. Labiatae. A genus comprising about forty-five species of hardy or half-hardy, often woolly or softly pilose herbs, sub-shrubs, or shrubs, natives of the Mediterranean region and the Canary Islands, numerous in the Orient. Flowers often yellowish, small; calyx tubular, with five erect, usually somewhat spiny teeth; corolla tube included; limb bilabiate, the upper lip entire, emarginate, or bifid, the lower one trifid, its middle lobe much the largest; stamens four; whorls six to many-flowered, axillary or interruptedly or densely spicate. Nutlets ovoid, smooth. Leaves entire or toothed; floral ones reduced to bracts, or the lower cauline ones conformed. The species (a representative selection of which is given below) prefer a dry, sandy or chalky soil. Propagation may be effected by seeds, by cuttings, or by divisions. All have yellowish flowers, produced in summer.
S. canariensis (Canary Islands). fl., corolla scarcely exceeding the calyx teeth, the upper lip emarginately bifid, the lower spreading; whorls twenty to thirty-flowered, sub-globose; racemes simple. l. ovate, crenate, cordate at base, 2in. to 4in. long, thick, wrinkled, velvety-woolly. h. several feet. Teneriffe, 1869. Greenhouse shrub. (Ref. B. 160.)
S. candicans (whitish). fl. sub-sessile; corolla scarcely exceeding the calyx; whorls usually ten-flowered, the lower ones distant; racemes simple. l. ovate, slightly crenate, truncately cordate at base, thick. h. 3ft. Teneriffe, 1714. Habit of S. canariensis, but wholly clothed with white wool. Greenhouse shrub.
S. incana (hoary). fl., calyx white-woolly; whorls distant, about six-flowered. l. sessile, oblong-linear, obtuse, entire, 1/2in. to 1 1/2in. long, white-woolly; upper ones small, remote. Branches white-woolly or tomentose. h. 1ft. Spain, 1752. Half-hardy sub-shrub. S. perfoliata (perfoliate-leaved). fl. sessile; corolla scarcely exceeding the calyx teeth; whorls all distinct, rather distant. l. half-amplexicaul, ovate-oblong or lanceolate, softly villous, 1 1/2in. to 2in. long; floral ones broad, spreading. Branches erect, 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. high. South Europe, 1731. Half-hardy sub-shrub.
S. scordioides (Scordium-like). fl., corolla yellowish, the upper lip paler or white, slightly exceeding the calyx teeth; whorls interruptedly or densely spicate, spikes 1in. to 3in. long. l. ovate, oblong, or oblong-linear, narrowed at base, incised-toothed; floral ones very broad, spiny-toothed. h. 1ft. South Europe, 1597. Hardy sub-shrub.
S. s. alpina (alpine). fl. in densely or somewhat interruptedly spicate whorls. l. oblong-ovate, few-toothed, cano-villous or at length glabrous. Branches short, decumbent. Pyrenees, 1827.
S. s. angustifolia (narrow-leaved). l. oblong-linear, almost glabrous. Pyrenees, 1597.
S. s. elongata (elongated). fl. in interruptedly or rarely densely spicate whorls. l. oblong or oblong-lanceolate, incised-toothed, nearly glabrous. Branches elongated, ascending or erect. Spain, 1822.
S. taurica (Taurian). fl., corolla slightly larger than the calyx. l. thick, oblong-lanceolate or spathulate, narrowed at base, the lower ones crenulate, densely white-woolly. h. 1 1/2ft. Tauria, 1822. Hardy sub-shrub.