Stachys
(the ancient Greek name used by Dioscorides for this genus or for some similar plants, and derived from stachys, a spike; alluding to the spicate inflorescence). Hedge Nettle; Woundwort. SYNS. Betonica, Eriostomum, Galeopsis (of Moench), Tetrahitum, Trixago, Zietenia. ORD. Labiatae. A large genus (nearly 200 species have been described, but probably not more than 160 are really distinct) of greenhouse or hardy, tall perennial or diffuse annual herbs, rarely sub-shrubs or small shrubs, broadly dispersed, but chiefly inhabiting North temperate and Oriental regions. Flowers purplish, scarlet, pale, yellow, or white, rather small or sometimes showy, sessile or very shortly pedicellate; calyx tubular-campanulate, five-toothed; corolla cylindric, with usually a ring of hairs inside, often incurved above, not, or scarcely, dilated at throat; upper lip of limb erect or spreading; lower one longer, spreading, three-lobed, the mid-lobe largest; stamens four; whorls two to many-flowered, axillary or clustered in terminal spikes. Nutlets ovoid or oblong. Leaves entire or toothed; floral ones conformed or reduced to bracts. S. arvensis (Field Betony), S. Betonica, S. germanica, S. palustris (Clown's All-heal), and S. sylvatica, are included in the British Flora. The species, some of which have a rather weedy appearance, will thrive in any ordinary garden soil; they may be increased by seeds, or by divisions. A selection of those best known in gardens is given below; except where otherwise indicated, they are hardy, herbaceous perennials.
S. albicaulis (white-stemmed). fl., calyx loosely ten-nerved; corolla violet, glabrous, twice as long as the calyx; whorls six-flowered, remote; racemes elongated, slightly branched. Summer. l. remote, 1in. to 3in. long, the lower ones petiolate, the upper ones sessile, all lanceolate, deeply toothed, rounded-cuneate or narrowed at base. Stem branched, 2ft. to 3ft. high, white-woolly at base. Chilian Andes. (B. R. 1558.)
S. alpina (alpine). fl., calyx teeth acute, spiny; corolla purplish or fuscous-red, woolly outside, scarcely twice as long as the calyx; whorls remote, many-flowered. Summer. l. petiolate, ovate, obtuse or slightly acute, crenate-serrate, cordate at base, villous, scarcely wrinkled. h. several feet. South Europe. A very variable plant.
S. a. intermedia (intermediate). l. more wrinkled, and sometimes slightly woolly beneath. A large form. (S. B. F. G. 100, under name of S. sibirica.)
S. angustifolia (narrow-leaved). fl. shortly pedicellate; corolla purplish, glabrous or slightly pubescent, the tube shortly exserted; whorls remote, two-flowered; racemes over 1ft. long, nearly simple. July. l. linear, entire, serrated, or the lower ones pinnatifid, all acute at apex. Branches twiggy, diffuse, several feet long. h. 9in. Tauria, 1823. Hardy sub-shrub. (S. B. F. G. 180.)
S. arenaria (sand-loving). fl., calyx four lines long; corolla purplish, pilose outside, twice as long as the calyx; whorls loosely six to ten-flowered, remote; racemes loose, ascending, nearly 1ft. long. July. l. sub-sessile, oblong-linear or lanceolate, 1in. to 1 1/2in. long, acute, slightly serrated, long-narrowed towards the base, entire. Levant, 1804. Plant decumbent. (B. M. 1959.)
S. aspera (rough). fl. sessile or nearly so; corolla purple or rose-red, glabrous throughout; spikes usually much interrupted. Summer. l. oblong-ovate to oblong-lanceolate, 1 1/2in. to 4 1/2in. long, acute or acuminate, rather obtusely serrated, nearly all distinctly petiolate, and truncate or merely sub-cordate at base. h. 2ft. to 4ft. North America and Japan. Plant sparsely hirsute or hispidulous-pubescent. (L. B. C. 1412.)
S. Betonica (Betony). Bishop's-wort; Wood Betony. fl., calyx lobes spinescent; corolla red-purple, hairy, 3/4in. long, the tube exserted; whorls in an oblong, long-peduncled spike, 1in. to 3in. long. June to August. l. petiolate, oblong-cordate, obtuse, 1in. to 4in. long, deeply crenate; cauline ones few, much narrower than the radical ones. Stem 6in. to 2ft. long, ascending or erect. Europe (Britain). This plant was formerly much used in medicine. (Sy. En. B. 1067.) SYN. Betonica officinalis.
S. coccinea (scarlet).* fl. generally distinctly pedicellate; corolla scarlet-red, with a narrow, cylindrical tube twice or thrice as long as the calyx; spike interrupted. Summer. l. ovate-lanceolate with a cordate base, or oblong-deltoid, obtuse, crenate, 1in. to 2in. long; cauline ones slender-petiolate; floral ones sessile. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Texas to Arizona and Mexico, 1798. Greenhouse herbaceous perennial. (A. B. R. 310; B. M. 666; P. M. B. viii. 101.)
S. densiflora (dense-flowered). fl., calyx teeth spiny; corolla flesh-coloured, twice as long as the calyx, villous outside, the tube incurved; spike dense, thick, 1 1/2in. to 2in. long. June. l. petiolate, ovate-oblong, obtuse, 2in. to 3in. long. crenate, wrinkled, cordate at base; lower floral ones constantly ovate and scarcely sessile. Stem erect, 1 1/2ft. high, nearly simple. South Europe, 1759. Plant hairy. (B. M. 2125, under name of Betonica incana.) SYN. Betonica hirsuta.
S. germanica (German).* fl., calyx teeth longer than the tube; corolla pale pink, variegated with white, 1/3in. long; whorls four to six-flowered. April to November. l. coarsely crenate-serrate, often cordate; radical ones 2in. to 5in. long, rather long-petiolate; cauline ones shortly petiolate, ovate-oblong or lanceolate. Stem 1ft. to 3ft. high, very stout, branched. Europe (Britain). A shaggy perennial. (B. R. 1289; F. D. 684; J. F. A. 319; Sy. En. B. 1068.)
S. grandidentata (large-toothed). fl., calyx teeth somewhat spiny; corolla violet, glabrous, twice as long as the calyx; whorls six-flowered, remote. Summer. l. petiolate, oblong-lanceolate, deeply toothed, all rounded-cuneate or narrowed at base; floral ones shorter than the calyx. Stem erect, 1ft. to 3ft. high. Chili. (B. R. 1080.)
S. grandiflora (large-flowered).* fl., calyx six to seven lines long, purplish at apex, villous; corolla of a beautiful violet, twelve to fourteen lines long, glabrous; whorls many-flowered, distinct, the lower ones remote. May. l. petiolate, broadly ovate, obtuse, crenate, broadly cordate at base, wrinkled, villous; floral ones sessile. Stem 1ft. high. Siberia, 1800. (B. M. 700, under name of Betonica grandiflora.) S. inflata (inflated). fl. sessile; calyx 1/2in. long, white-tomentose; corolla red, slightly silky outside, half as long again as the calyx; whorls distant, about six-flowered. July. l. sub-sessile, oblong, obtuse, entire, scarcely 1in. long, white-tomentose or woolly on both sides. Branches elongated, clothed with slightly floccose tomentum. h. 1 1/2ft. Persia, 1852. Hardy sub-shrub. (B. R. 1697.)
S. lanata (woolly).* fl. striped; whorls many-flowered, the upper ones approximating in a spike. July. l. very thick and soft, oblong-elliptic, narrowed at both ends, scarcely crenulate, wrinkled. Stem 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. high, clothed (as well as the leaves and calyces) with dense wool. Tauria, 1782.
S. Maweana (Mawe's).* fl., calyx 1/4in. long, woolly; corolla pale straw-colour, with purple blotches on the lower lip, 1/2in. long and broad; whorls collected into a narrow-oblong, leafy spike. July. l. spreading, about 1in. long, ovate-cordate, sub-acute, deeply crenate-toothed, grey-green above; petioles of the cauline leaves longer than the blades. Branches 1ft. or more high. Morocco, 1878. Whole plant clothed with silvery-white hairs. (B. M. 6389.)
S. Salviae (Salvia-like). A synonym of Sphacele Lindleyi.
S. sibirica (Siberian). A synonym of S. albicaulis intermedia.