Hedeoma Pers.

Harley, R.M. et al. (2004). Labiatae, in The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants (K. Kubitzki, ed. in chief) VI: 167-275. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York.

Morphology General Habit

Annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs, strongly aromatic

Morphology Leaves

Leaves entire or toothed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of few- to many-flowered, pedunculate to subsessile cymes, or flowers rarely solitary, in axils of bracts, upper cymes often congested in a terminal spiciform thyrse

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts often leaf-like

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles

Bracteoles inconspicuous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers sometimes cleistogamous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx ± actinomorphic, subequally 5-lobed, or 2-lipped (3/2) with lobes unequal, posterior somewhat connate, deltoid to subulate, anterior lobes usually longer, tube 13-nerved, cylindrical to infundibular, often gibbous at base, throat densely hairy withi

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white, lilac, pink or orange-red, 2-lipped (2/3), posterior lip sometimes subentire, concave to flat, erect or spreading, median anterior lobe usually larger, often emarginate, tube short to elongate, widening upwards, annulate or not within

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 2, posterior pair staminodal, anterior pair ascending under posterior corolla lip, included to exserted, thecae ± parallel to widely divaricate, distinct, connective well-developed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma

Stigma-lobes unequal, ± subulate, posterior very small

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disc symmetrical

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets ovoid to oblong, usually 1.5 mm long or less, areolate to foveate, sometimes glaucous, often mucilaginous.

Note

2n = 34, 36, 44, 72, 76, 144.  About 42 species. Irving (1980) recognizes four subgenera, based mainly on habit and reproductive characters.

Distribution

From Canada southwards to Mexico, Central and Southern Southern America, from Peru and Bolivia to Southern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.

Ecology

Open montane or submontane, sometimes xeric habitats