''Salvia palaestina'' is a herbaceous perennial native to a wide area including

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

, and is also native to Turkey, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, the Sinai peninsula and northeastern Egypt. It was named and described by

George Bentham George Bentham (22 September 1800 – 10 September 1884) was an English botanist, described by the weed botanist Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century". Born into a distinguished family, he initially studie ...

in 1835, with the specific epithet (''palaestina'') referring to its geographical distribution "in Palæstinæ montibus inter Gaza et Jerusalem", or the mountains between Gaza and Jerusalem. ''S. palaestina'' grows in a wide variety of habitats, between elevation. It was introduced into horticulture in the 1990s. The plant grows tall, with an upright habit and many square stems growing from basal roots. The mid-green rugose leaves vary in shape and size, with light hairs on both sides, and glands that release a scent when rubbed or crushed. The inflorescences grow candelabrum-like at the top of the stems, with 4–6 flowers per whorl. The flowers are straight and tubular, ranging in color from white to pale lilac.

Notes

Flora of Syria Plants described in 1835 palaestina Flora of Iran Flora of Iraq Flora of Israel Flora of Egypt Flora of Turkey Flora of Palestine (region) {{Salvia-stub