Salvia mellifera Greene
Black Sage
Lamiaceae
Protologue: Pittonia 2: 236 (1892)
Pronunciation: Sál-vi-a mel-lí-fera
Etymology: "to save" + "honey-bearing"
Jepson eFlora Treatment
SD County Synoptic Voucher
[Plants of San Diego County HOME]
Distribution:
Left: S.D. County Plant Atlas (http://sdplantatlas.org). Right: CCH2. Click to see current herbarium records.
Salvia mellifera
A woody shrub, common member of coastal sage scrub community in San Diego County and adjacent regions.
Salvia mellifera
Leaves are opposite, like viturally all family members. Note the rugose leaf surface and crenate to crenulate margins.
Salvia mellifera
Close up of the verticillaster, a type of thyrse having very congested cymes
(flowers appear whorled at nodes).
Salvia mellifera
Left: Flower cross-section, showing ring of hairs within corolla, pistil with superior ovary, club-shaped
staminode,
and jointed anther connective bearing one theca.
Right: Ovary close-up, showing 4 lobes and gynobasic style, typical of family.
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