''Galeopsis pubescens'', also known as the hairy and downy hempnettle, is a

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of ...

annual plant An annual plant is a plant that completes its life cycle, from germination to the production of seeds, within one growing season, and then dies. Globally, 6% of all plant species and 15% of herbaceous plants (excluding trees and shrubs) are ...

species in the family

Lamiaceae The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family (biology), 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 (herb), ba ...

, that can be found growing in various European countries.

Taxonomy

''Galeopsis pubescens'' was for the first time described by Austrian botanist

Wilibald Swibert Joseph Gottlieb von Besser Wilibald Swibert Joseph Gottlieb von Besser (7 July 1784 – 11 October 1842), known in Russia as Vilibald Gotlibovich Besser () was an Austrian-born botanist active in former eastern territories of Poland occupied by the Russian Empire, who wor ...

in his work titled ''Primitiae Florae Galiciae Austriacae Utriusque'' in year 1809. Some authors recognize two distinct

subspecies In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...

of this species: * ''Galeopsis pubescens'' subsp. ''murriana'' (Borbás & Wettst.) Murr * ''Galeopsis pubescens'' subsp. ''pubescens'' Some sources list three different

varieties Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

: * ''Galeopsis pubescens'' var. ''carthusianorum''

Briq. John Isaac Briquet (13 March 1870 in Geneva – 26 October 1931 in Geneva) was a Swiss botanist, director of the ''Conservatoire Botanique'' at Geneva. He received his education in natural sciences at Geneva and Berlin,

* ''Galeopsis pubescens'' var. ''minor'' Gaudin * ''Galeopsis pubescens'' var. ''mollis'' Gaudin There is also a long list of possible

synonyms A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means precisely or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are a ...

Description

This upright-growing herbaceous annual hempnettle can reach from 20 to 50 centimetres of height and usually has spread out upper part. Its four-edged stem is covered with both soft and bristle-like hair, with bristles primarily covering plant's

nodes In general, a node is a localized swelling (a "knot") or a point of intersection (a vertex). Node may refer to: In mathematics *Vertex (graph theory), a vertex in a mathematical graph *Vertex (geometry), a point where two or more curves, lines, ...

. In most cases the stem is thickened right below the nodes. Its alternately arranged simple and entire leaves are always petiolate (with leafstalk), serrated and covered with trichomes.Data:''Galeopsis pubescens.''
Pladias – Database of the Czech Flora and Vegetation. www.pladias.cz. Retrieved 9. september 2021. They can reach the length of 7 centimetres and are

lanceolate The following terms are used to describe leaf plant morphology, morphology in the description and taxonomy (biology), taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (that is, the leaf blade or 'lamina' is undivided) or compound (that is, the leaf blade ...

to ovate-lanceolate in shape and end with sharpened point. There are no stipules. The hempnettle's scarlet to scarlet red

zygomorphic Floral symmetry describes whether, and how, a flower, in particular its perianth, can be divided into two or more identical or mirror-image parts. Uncommonly, flowers may have no axis of symmetry at all, typically because their parts are spir ...

flowers can reach from 2 to 2.5 centimetres of size and are arranged into an apparent whorled inflorescence, which is actually an cyme. ''Galeopsis pubescens'' has typical sage family flowers with two-lipped corolla (so-called bilabiate flowers). Mutually fused

petals Petals are modified leaves that form an inner whorl surrounding the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly coloured or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''coroll ...

have yellow corolla tube. The plant's upper lip is three-lobed, with the bigger white or yellow-spotted middle lobe and smaller side lobes. The scarlet coloured lower lip is bent and hirsute. The plant's

sepals 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 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

are also fused into a calyx tube, which is covered with thick layer of hair and ends with pointed calyx teeth. Flowers lack any

essential oils An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the o ...

and hence do not have any special smell. This

entomophilous Entomophily or insect pollination is a form of pollination whereby pollen of plants, especially but not only of flowering plants, is distributed by insects. Flowers pollinated by insects typically advertise themselves with bright colours, somet ...

plant's flowering period is between July and September. The plant's dry fruit are brown to black nutlets, that come in bundles of four, with each containing only one seed. Layman can mistake ''Galeopsis pubescens'' with similar hempnettles, such as ''

Galeopsis tetrahit ''Galeopsis tetrahit'', the common hemp-nettle or brittlestem hempnettle, is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe and northwestern Asia. It is a herbaceous annual plant growing to 1 m tall; it is a pioneer species and thri ...

'' and ''

Galeopsis bifida ''Galeopsis bifida'' is an annual plant native to Europe and Asia but now found in Canada and the northeastern, midwestern parts of the United States. It has many common names such as bifid hemp-nettle, split-lip hemp-nettle, common hemp-nettle, ...

'', as well as some other species of the Lamiaceae family, such as ''

Lamium maculatum ''Lamium'' (dead-nettles) is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae, of which it is the type genus. They are all herbaceous plants native to Eurasia and northern Africa, with several widely naturalised across muc ...

''. In the past this hempnettle was used in

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices rooted in the cultural beliefs of various societies, especially Indigenous groups, used for maintaining health and treatin ...

Distribution

''Galeopsis pubescens'' is widely distributed across

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

; its distribution range spans from the eastern parts of

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

on the west to

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

with

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...

and

Siberia Siberia ( ; , ) is an extensive geographical region comprising all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has formed a part of the sovereign territory of Russia and its predecessor states ...

in the east. It appears as an introduced species in some parts of Asia. This relatively common hempnettle can be found growing in many different habitats, including man-made ones. The plant usually grows in forests, on forest edges, near paths, on the fields, vineyards and in various ruderal landscapes, with its optimal habitat being different forest types (such as alluvial, oak-hornbeam, ravine, herb-rich beech, acidophilous thermophilous oak, ''

Robinia pseudoacacia ''Robinia pseudoacacia'', commonly known as black locust, is a medium-sized hardwood deciduous tree, belonging to the tribe Robinieae of the legume family Fabaceae. It is native to a few small areas of the United States, but it has been widely pl ...

'' and spruce forests). The Raunkiær system classifies it as a therophyte species, as it is an annual plant that survives unfavorable conditions in the form of seed.

Gallery

Galeopsis pubescens Sturm 11038.jpg Galeopsis pubescens subsp. pubescens sl30.jpg Galeopsis pubescens subsp. pubescens sl31.jpg Galeopsis pubescens 250807.jpg Galeopsis pubescens 250807a.jpg Galeopsis pubescens 060805a.jpg Galeopsis pubescens subsp. pubescens sl9.jpg Galeopsis pubescens 040910.jpg

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q159874

pubescens This list of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names is intended to help those unfamiliar with classical languages to understand and remember the scientific names of organisms. The binomial nomenclature used for animals and plants ...

Flora of Europe