''Horminum'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the family Lamiaceae, comprising a single species, ''Horminum pyrenaicum''. Common names include dragonmouth and Pyrenean dead-nettle.

Description

''Horminum pyrenaicum'' is a

perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

growing to 45 cm tall. The square stems have small hairs with sessile glands. The leaves are produced in basal rosettes, 3–7 cm long and 2–5 cm broad, long-stalked, ovate, glossy deep green, quilted, with a bluntly toothed margin. The

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s are produced in whorls on the upper stems, violet-blue or dark purple, tubular or bell-shaped, 1.5–2 cm long, with two lips. The flowering period extends from July to August.

Cultivation

Grow in peaty, well-drained but not overly rich soil in full sun. This is an alpine plant best suited to areas with mild summers where nights are cool. Keep evenly moist and feed once at the start of the growing season with a ration of slow-release fertiliser. Propagate from seed sown in autumn and exposed to low winter temperatures, or by dividing established clumps in spring.

Distribution

This species is native to the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...

and

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Swi ...

in western

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

Habitat

''Horminum pyrenaicum'' prefers rocky slopes, pastures and grasslands at elevation of above sea level.

Gallery

File: Horminum pyrenaicum - Saint-Hilaire.jpg, Illustration from "La flore et la pomone françaises" by J.H. Saint-Hilaire, 1832. File: Horminum pyrenaicum 600.JPG, Plants File: Lamiaceae - Horminum pyrenaicum-001.jpg, Basal leaves

References

BiolibRoyal Botanic Garden

External links

Luirig.altervista
Lamiaceae Alpine flora Flora of the Pyrenees Monotypic Lamiaceae genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Lamiaceae-stub