圣罗勒 sheng luo le

Subshrubs to 1 m tall, much branched. Stems erect, base woody, spreading pilose. Petiole 1-2.5 cm; leaf blade oblong, 2.5-5.5 × 1-3 cm, puberulent, glandular, pilose on veins, base cuneate to rounded, margin shallowly undulate-serrate, apex obtuse. Verticillasters 6-flowered, in pedunculate, terminal thyrses or panicles 6-8 cm; bracts sessile, cordate, ca. 1.5 × 1.5 mm, apex acute; peduncle 1-1.5 cm. Pedicel ca. 2.5 mm. Calyx campanulate, ca. 2.5 mm, villous, tube ca. 1.5 mm; middle tooth of upper lip broadly oblate, abruptly acute; lateral teeth broadly triangular, shorter than lower lip teeth, spinescent; lower lip teeth lanceolate, apex spinescent; fruiting calyx to 6 × 4 mm, conspicuously veined. Corolla white to reddish, ca. 3 mm, slightly exserted, sparsely puberulent; tube ca. 2 mm, dilated at throat; upper lip less than 1 × 2.5 mm, lobes ovate; lower lip oblong, ca. 1 × 0.6 mm, flat. Stamens slightly exserted, free; posterior filaments puberulent at base. Nutlets brown, ovoid, ca. 1 × 0.7 mm, glandular-foveolate. Fl. Feb-Jun, fr. Mar-Aug.

Dry sandy areas. Hainan, Sichuan, Taiwan [Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa, SW Asia, Australia]

Leaves used as a condiment in salads and other foods, and as a substitute for tea.