I.C. Hedge

Herbaceous greyish white perennial with a woody rootstock. Stems procumbent-ascending, c. 20 cm, densely covered with long flexuose-villous white eglandular hairs, leafy below. Leaves broadly ovate to semiorbicular, c. 10 x 10 mm, serrate, broad truncate, acute to rounded, densely covered with long white hairs; petiole up to 8 mm. Inflorescence of several distant densely white villous-lanate many-flowered globose congested sessile verticillasters. Bracts linear-subulate, c, 7 mm. Pedicels subabsent. Calyx 5-6 mm, densely white lanate-villous; throat oblique; teeth curved, linear-subulate up to 3 mm. Corolla 8-9 mm, light blue. Nutlets pale brown, 1.3 x 0.7 mm, narrow ellipsoid, finely depressed-tuberculate with a U-V-shaped areole extending 2/3 of the nutlet length, mucilaginous on wetting.

Fl. Per.: April.

Type: [Pakistan E-4 Sibi] "in regno Cabulico" Griffith 212, 494 (K!).

Distribution: Endemic.

One of the few Nepeta species growing in the hottest parts of Pakistan, it is characterized by the procumbent-ascending stems, the densely villouslanate inflorescence heads and the U- or V-shaped areoles. Known from only a few gatherings.