薰衣草 xun yi cao

Lavandula spicata Linnaeus; L. vera de Candolle.

Shrubs dwarf, stellate tomentose. Branches gray-brown to dark brown, with long flowering and short leafy shoots, bark longitudinally exfoliating. Leaves widely spaced on flowering shoots, clustered on leafy shoots, linear to lanceolate-linear, 3-5 cm × 3-5 mm on flowering shoots, less than ca. 17 × 2 mm on leafy shoots, gray stellate tomentose, base attenuate to a very short petiole, margin entire and revolute, apex obtuse. Verticillasters 6-10-flowered, numerous, in crowded, interrupted or ± continuous spikes ca. 3(-5) cm; peduncle ca. 3 × as long as spike; bracts rust colored when dry, rhombic-ovate or acuminate-subulate; bracteoles indistinct. Pedicel short. Calyx ovoid-tubular to subtubular, 4-5 mm, 13-veined, densely gray stellate tomentose outside; upper lip entire, lower lip equally 4-toothed. Corolla blue, 8-10 mm, 13-veined, densely tomentose outside, base subglabrous, throat and limb glandular hairy, puberulent annulate inside; upper lip straight, with lobes circular and slightly overlapping; lower lip spreading. Nutlets 4, smooth. Fl. Jun.

Cultivated as an ornamental and aromatic plant in China [Africa, Europe].