''Teucrium'' is a

cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Food and drink * Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo" History * Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953 Hotels and resorts * Cosmopoli ...

genus of flowering plants in the family

Lamiaceae The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory ...

, commonly known as germanders. Plants in this genus are

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also widel ...

herbs In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicina ...

or shrubs, with branches that are more or less square in cross-section, leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and flowers arranged in

thyrse A thyrse is a type of inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot o ...

s, the

corolla Corolla may refer to: *Corolla (botany), the petals of a flower, considered as a unit *Toyota Corolla, an automobile model name *Corolla (headgear) A ''corolla'' is an ancient headdress in the form of a small circlet or crown.sessile

glands In animals, a gland is a group of cells in an animal's body that synthesizes substances (such as hormones) for release into the bloodstream ( endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface ( exocrine gland). Structure ...

. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, simple or with three leaflets sometimes with lobed or serrated edges. The flowers are arranged in a thyrse, sometimes in a cyme in leaf axils. The flowers have five more or less similar

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coine ...

s fused at the base, and the corolla is white or cream-coloured with five lobes forming two lips. The upper lip is usually much reduced in size and the lower lip has three lobes, the central lobe usually larger than the side lobes. There are four

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the fila ...

s attached near the base of the petals and the fruit is a

schizocarp A schizocarp is a dry fruit that, when mature, splits up into mericarps. There are different definitions: * Any dry fruit composed of multiple carpels that separate. : Under this definition the mericarps can contain one or more seeds (the m ...

with four segments.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Teucrium'' was first formally described in 1753 by

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, ...

in ''

Species Plantarum ' (Latin for "The Species of Plants") is a book by Carl Linnaeus, originally published in 1753, which lists every species of plant known at the time, classified into genera. It is the first work to consistently apply binomial names and was the ...

''. The name ''Teucrium'' was used by

Pedanius Dioscorides Pedanius Dioscorides ( grc-gre, Πεδάνιος Διοσκουρίδης, ; 40–90 AD), “the father of pharmacognosy”, was a Greek physician, pharmacologist, botanist, and author of '' De materia medica'' (, On Medical Material) —a 5-vo ...

for several species in this genus, and is believed to refer to King Teucer of

Troy Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in present-day Turkey, south-west of Ç ...

who used the plant in his medicine.

Species

(See also List of ''Teucrium'' species)

''Teucrium'' is a cosmopolitan genus with about 300 species, the distribution centred on the Mediterranean. There are about thirteen species endemic to Australia.

Selected species

* ''

Teucrium albicaule ''Teucrium albicaule'', commonly known as scurfy germander, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to inland areas of Australia. It is a hoary, perennial herb that spreads by root suckers, forming dense stands. ...

Toelken Toelken is a surname. Notable people with this surname include: *Barre Toelken (1935–2018), American folklorist *Ernst Heinrich Toelken Ernst Heinrich Toelken (June 24, 1795, Bremen – January 26, 1878) was a German anatomist, physicist an ...

– scurfy germander (Australia) * ''

Teucrium arduinoi ''Teucrium'' is a cosmopolitan genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae, commonly known as germanders. Plants in this genus are perennial herbs or shrubs, with branches that are more or less square in cross-section, leaves arranged in o ...

'' L. * ''

Teucrium argutum ''Teucrium argutum'', commonly known as native germander, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a perennial herb often suckering, with hairy, broadly egg-shaped leaves with toothed or ...

'' R.Br. – native germander (Qld., N.S.W.) * ''

Teucrium aroanium ''Teucrium aroanium'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined z ...

'' Orph. ex Boiss. * ''

Teucrium balfourii ''Teucrium balfourii'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is found only in the Socotra Islands, part of the nation of Yemen. Its natural habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, ph ...

'' Vierh. * ''

Teucrium balthazaris ''Teucrium balthazaris'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is found only in Spain. Its natural habitat is Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed hab ...

'' Sennen * ''

Teucrium betonicum ''Teucrium'' is a cosmopolitan genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae, commonly known as germanders. Plants in this genus are perennial herbs or shrubs, with branches that are more or less square in cross-section, leaves arranged in o ...

'' L'Hér. * ''

Teucrium botrys ''Teucrium botrys'', the cutleaf germander or cut-leaved germander is a low to short downy annual, sometimes biennial, plant. It was noted by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 and is classified as part of the genus ''Teucrium'' in the family Lamiaceae. It h ...

'' L. – cut-leaved germander * '' Teucrium canadense'' L. – American germander, Canada germander, wood sage, hairy germander * '' Teucrium capitatum'' L. * '' Teucrium carolipaui'' C. Vicioso ex Pau * ''

Teucrium chamaedrys ''Teucrium chamaedrys'', the wall germander, is a species of plant native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe and North Africa, and the Middle East as far as Iran.Dobignard, A. & Chatelain, C. (2012). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique d ...

'' L. – wall germander * ''

Teucrium chardonianum ''Teucrium'' is a cosmopolitan genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae, commonly known as germanders. Plants in this genus are perennial herbs or shrubs, with branches that are more or less square in cross-section, leaves arranged in op ...

'' Maire & Wilczek * '' Teucrium coahuilanum'' B.L.Turner * ''

Teucrium corymbosum ''Teucrium corymbosum'', commonly known as forest germander, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is native to Australia and New Guinea. It is a perennial herb or subshrub densely covered with glands and with narrow egg- ...

'' R.Br. – forest germander (Australia, New Guinea) * '' Teucrium cossonii'' D.Wood – fruity teucrium * '' Teucrium creticum'' L. * '' Teucrium cubense''

Jacq. Nikolaus Joseph Freiherr von Jacquin (16 February 172726 October 1817) was a scientist who studied medicine, chemistry and botany. Biography Born in Leiden in the Netherlands, he studied medicine at Leiden University, then moved first to Par ...

– small coastal germander, dwarf germander * ''

Teucrium eremaeum ''Teucrium eremaeum'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a perennial herb or shrub with small, linear to lance-shaped leaves and white or cream-coloured flowers. ...

Diels Diels is the last name of several people: * Rudolf Diels (1900–1957), German politician * Otto Diels (1876–1954), German scientist noted for his work on the Diels–Alder reaction * Ludwig Diels (1874–1945), German botanist * Hermann Diels H ...

(W.A.) * '' Teucrium divaricatum'' Sieber ex Heldr. * '' Teucrium flavum'' L. * ''

Teucrium fruticans ''Teucrium fruticans'' (common name tree germander or shrubby germander) is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to the western and central Mediterranean. Growing to tall by wide, it is a spreading evergreen shrub w ...

'' L. – tree germander, shrubby germander * '' Teucrium glandulosum'' Kellogg – common germander, desert germander, sticky germander * '' Teucrium gnaphalodes'' L’Hér. * '' Teucrium grandiusculum'' F.Muell. & Tate (W.A., S.A., N.T.) * ''

Teucrium heterophyllum ''Teucrium'' is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae, commonly known as germanders. Plants in this genus are perennial plant, perennial herbaceous plant, herbs or shrubs, with branches that a ...

'' L’Hér. * '' Teucrium integrifolium'' Benth. – teucry weed (W.A., N.T., Qld.) *'' Teucrium junceum'' * ''

Teucrium laciniatum ''Teucrium'' is a cosmopolitan genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae, commonly known as germanders. Plants in this genus are perennial herbs or shrubs, with branches that are more or less square in cross-section, leaves arranged in op ...

'' Torr. – germander, lacy germander * '' Teucrium lepicephalum'' Pau * '' Teucrium marum'' L. * '' Teucrium massiliense'' L. * '' Teucrium montanum'' L. * '' Teucrium oliverianum'' Ging. ex Benth. * '' Teucrium orientale'' L. – oriental germander * ''

Teucrium polium ''Teucrium polium'', known popularly as felty germander, is a sub-shrub and herb native to the western Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean region (Albania, North Macedonia, Spain, France, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia). Its flowers are small and range ...

'' L. * '' Teucrium pseudochamaepitys'' L. * '' Teucrium puberulum'' * '' Teucrium pyrenaicum'' L. * '' Teucrium racemosum'' – forest germander * '' Teucrium scordium'' L. * '' Teucrium scorodonia'' L. – woodland germander * '' Teucrium socotranum'' Vierh. * '' Teucrium subspinosum'' Pourr. ex Willd. * ''

Teucrium teucriiflorum ''Teucrium teucriiflorum'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is Endemism, endemic to arid and semi-arid areas of Australia. It is a semi-wikt:scandent, scandent shrub with many branches, linear to narrow lance-shaped o ...

'' (F.Muell.) Kattari & Salmaki * '' Teucrium townsendii'' ** ''Teucrium townsendii'' ssp. ''affine'' ** ''Teucrium townsendii'' var. ''townsendii'' * '' Teucrium vesicarium'' Mill. * ''

Teucrium viscidum ''Teucrium'' is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae, commonly known as germanders. Plants in this genus are perennial plant, perennial herbaceous plant, herbs or shrubs, with branches that a ...

'' Blume * '' Teucrium werneri'' Emb.

Fossil record

†''Teucrium tatjanae'' seed

fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...

s are known from the

Oligocene The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the epoch are well identified but t ...

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...

and

Pliocene The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.333 million to 2.58Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part ...

, Miocene and Pliocene of central and southern

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

and Miocene of

Lusatia Lusatia (german: Lausitz, pl, Łużyce, hsb, Łužica, dsb, Łužyca, cs, Lužice, la, Lusatia, rarely also referred to as Sorbia) is a historical region in Central Europe, split between Germany and Poland. Lusatia stretches from the Bóbr ...

. The fossil seeds are similar to seeds of the extant ''Teucrium orientale''. †''Teucrium pripiatense'' seed fossils have been described from the Pliocene Borsoni Formation in the

Rhön Mountains The Rhön Mountains () are a group of low mountains (or '' Mittelgebirge'') in central Germany, located around the border area where the states of Hesse, Bavaria and Thuringia come together. These mountains, which are at the extreme southeast end ...

of central

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...

.The floral change in the tertiary of the Rhön mountains (Germany) by Dieter Hans Mai - Acta Paleobotanica 47(1): 135-143, 2007.

References

External links

USDA PLANTS Profile
{{Taxonbar, from=Q157714 * Lamiaceae genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus