Phlomis
aurea Decaisne
Ann. Sc. Nat. Bot. Sér. 2,2:251 (1834)
Synonyms:
P. angustifolia Miller
P. flavescens Miller
Distribution in the wild:
Sinai, amongst rocks. Possibly in Jordan.
Flowering in the wild: March-June
aurea means golden and refers to the indumentum, especially
on the young leaves.
Winter leaves are larger and with less hair cover than summer
ones to promote photosynthesis.
Very rare. Said to roughly resemble P. fruticosa, but with
a golden yellow indumentum in many parts, calyx teeth are
very short and erect, middle lobe of lower lip rounded rather
than cuneate, lateral lobes rounded, not acuminate. Winter
leaves are larger than summer ones and hair cover thinner
to promote photosynthesis.
Shrub to 90 cm. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, attenuate
to a short petiole, rarely subcordate, thick, reticulate
veined, stellate-tomentose on both surfaces, slightly crenate
to entire at margin, greenish yellow, young ones golden.
Floral leaves sessile. Whorls distant, few flowered. Bracteoles
oblong to linear, almost the length of the calyx. Calyx
tubular c. 15 cm, yellow stellate-tomentose with short triangular,
subulate equal teeth. Corolla yellow. Nutlets hairless.
