Lamiaceae
Hyssopus

Hyssopus officinalis L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 569 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Europe, Medit. to Iran. It is a subshrub and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

J. R. Timberlake, E. S. Martins (2013). Flora Zambesiaca, Vol 8: part 8. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Vernacular
Hyssop.
Morphology General Habit
Perennial herb or subshrub, 0.1–0.6 m tall
Morphology Leaves
Leaves sessile, linear, 10–50 × 1–10 mm, entire
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence condensed, lower verticils remote forming a 1-sided spike, with 6–many-flowered verticils
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx reddish, 4–8 mm long, curved; posterior lip 3-lobed, anterior lip 2-lobed, lobes deltoid and acuminate or aristate, equal with thickened fold at each sinus
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla blue pink or white, 7–12 mm long, curved, 2-lipped
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 4, ascending under posterior lip, exserted.
Distribution
Zimbabwe. Mediterranean and W Asia. Widely cultivated.
[FZ]

Lamiaceae (Labiatae), A.J. Paton, G. Bramley, O. Ryding, R.M. Polhill, Y.B. Harvey, M. Iwarsson, F. Willis, P.B. Phillipson, K. Balkwill, C.W. Lukhoba, D.F. Otieno, & R.M. Harley. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2009

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herb or subshrub 0.1–0.6 m tall
Morphology Leaves
Leaves sessile, linear, 10–50 × 1–10 mm, entire
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence condensed but with lower verticils remote, forming a 1-sided spike with verticils 6–many-flowered
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx reddish, 4–8 mm long, curved; posterior lip 3-lobed; anterior lip 2-lobed; lobes deltoid and acuminate or aristate, equal with thickened fold at each sinus
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla blue, pink or white, 7–12 mm long, curved, 2-lipped
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 4, ascending under posterior lip, exserted
Note
No specimens seen. A native of the Mediterranean and Western Asia cultivated as a herb and ornamental
[FTEA]

Vernacular
Hisopo
[UPFC]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0