Teucrium scorodonia L.

Woodland germander (en), Germandrée scorodine (fr), Germandrée scorodoine (fr), Sauge des bois (fr), Germandrée des bois (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Lamiales > Lamiaceae > Teucrium

Characteristics

Rhizomatous perennial with hairy stems to c. 50 cm tall, woody at base. Petioles to c. 1.5 cm long, often much shorter. Lamina 1.5 × 0.75-2.5 cm, ovate or oblong-ovate, ± rugose, ± crenate, villous below, hairy above; base subcordate; apex obtuse or subacute. Infl. terminal, often branched, to c. 15 cm long at fruiting. Bracts ovate, < calyx. Pedicels short. Calyx c. 5 mm long, campanulate, gibbous at base, hairy, strongly veined at fruiting. Corolla tube 8-9 mm long, hairy; limb deflexed, hairy outside, yellowish green; terminal lobe c. 3 mm diam., rounded; lateral lobes c. 1.5 mm long, ± ovate-oblong, obtuse. Filaments hairy, purplish. Nutlets c. 1.2 mm long, obovoid, dark brown, almost smooth.
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Rhizomatous perennial 3–5 dm; petioles 1 cm; lvs ovate-oblong or triangular-ovate, 3–6 cm, crenate, truncate to shallowly cordate at base; racemes few to several, terminal and axillary, secund, 1 dm; bracts ovate or lance-ovate; pedicels 1–3 mm; cal 5–6 mm, the upper lobe broadly depressed-ovate, apiculate, the others triangular, subulate-tipped; cal reticulate-veiny at maturity; cor greenish-yellow, 1 cm, the tube much exceeding the cal; filaments nearly straight; 2n=32. Native of Europe, rarely intr. in our range, reported from Ont. and O.
A small shrub. It is hairy and has underground stems or rhizomes. It grows 50-60 cm high. It spreads 45 cm wide. The leaves are oval or triangle shaped. They are woolly. The flowers are cream or yellow and in loose clusters up to 15 cm long.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread barochory
Mature width (meter) 0.5
Mature height (meter) 0.3 - 0.45
Root system rhizome
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

It is a temperate plant. It grows in open woods and rocky places. It can be on sand dunes. It needs a well-drained soil and protected, shady position. It is resistant to drought and frost tender. It suits plant hardiness zone 6-10. Tasmania Herbarium. In Hobart Botanical gardens.
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Dry, not strongly calcareous, soils in woodlands, grassland, heaths and dunes. Also found on lime-free moorland soils.
Light 3-7
Soil humidity 1-6
Soil texture 1-6
Soil acidity 2-7
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 6-9

Usage

It is very bitter and is used as a substitute for hops for flavouring ale.
Uses medicinal
Edible flowers leaves
Therapeutic use Alterative (unspecified), Astringent (unspecified), Carminative (unspecified), Diuretic (unspecified), Fever (unspecified), Scurvy (unspecified), Sudorific (unspecified), Vulnerary (unspecified), Wound (unspecified), Antiseptic (unspecified), Dropsy (unspecified), Emmenagogue (unspecified), Tonic (unspecified)
Human toxicity liver toxic (aerial)
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

It can be grown by cuttings.
Mode cuttings divisions seedlings
Germination duration (days) 25 - 30
Germination temperacture (C°) 21
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Teucrium scorodonia habit picture by christophe gorla (cc-by-sa)
Teucrium scorodonia habit picture by Pierre LEON (cc-by-sa)
Teucrium scorodonia habit picture by Patrice Nodet (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Teucrium scorodonia leaf picture by Petar Čepo (cc-by-sa)
Teucrium scorodonia leaf picture by Jean-Noël Rastoix (cc-by-sa)
Teucrium scorodonia leaf picture by Camila Prioli (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Teucrium scorodonia flower picture by Jean-Marie Drut (cc-by-sa)
Teucrium scorodonia flower picture by margarida vila (cc-by-sa)
Teucrium scorodonia flower picture by Alain Servais (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Teucrium scorodonia fruit picture by christophe gorla (cc-by-sa)
Teucrium scorodonia fruit picture by christophe gorla (cc-by-sa)
Teucrium scorodonia fruit picture by FCC2017 (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Teucrium scorodonia world distribution map, present in Austria, Canada, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Tunisia, and United States of America

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:460717-1
WFO ID wfo-0000322618
COL ID 55XSG
BDTFX ID 67441
INPN ID 141583
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Monochilon cordifolius Scorodonia heteromalla Scorodonia solitaria Teucrium salviifolium Teucrium scorodonia Scorodonia scorodonia Scorodonia sylvestris Scorodonia trivialis Teucrium sylvestre Scorodonia vulgaris