Plectranthus LABIATAE Lycopus 



There are almost surely several other valid species of Plectranthus in the Lower Yangtze 

 Valley, but more material and further study will be required to place them. Recent progress 

 in naming species of this genus in China is indicated by contrasting the following references: 



(a) Forbes and Hemsley, in 1890, listed 18 species (F.H.E. 2: 269-276). 



(b) Dunn, in 1915, keyed and listed 33 species (Ed. N. 6 (28): 136-144). 



(c) Handel-Mazzetti, in 1940, keyed and listed 60 species (Go. A. 13 (PI. Sin. 39): 362-380). 



13. Salvia Linn. Sage U.W^'WM (Shu Wei Ts'ao Shu) 

 Herbs or shrubs with mostly showy fls. in spiked racemed or panicled whorls'. 

 calyx 2-lipped; corolla strongly 2-lipped, the upper lip often arched; anther-bearing 

 stamens 2; anthers l-celled, linear; style 2-fid: nutlets 3-angled, smooth. 500 species, 

 in temperate and tropical regions; 20 in China. (Latin: salvare, to save; referring to 

 the reputed healing qualities of Sage.) 



Key to the Species 



a. Fls. over 2 cm. long: upper lip of the corolla falcate. 



Calyx and corolla scarlet : lvs. simple, glabrous 1 . S. splendens 



Calyx and corolla purplish: lvs. pinnate, pubescent 2. S. miltiorrhiza 



aa. Fls. 1.5 cm. long or less; upper lip of the corolla not falcate. 



b. Calyx white or bluish purple, densely tomentose 3. S. farinacea 



bb. Calyx green or reddish purple, pubescent and more or less glandular, 

 c. Fls. larger, 1cm. or more long; calyx 5-7 mm. long: lvs. 

 stems and calyces often red or purplish. 

 Lvs. simple or some of the lower occasionally 3-foliolate; 

 blades ovate or oblong, crenate, obtuse, truncate or 



cordate at base 4. S. chinensis 



Lvs. pinnate, mostly trifoliolate: blades lanceolate or ovate, 



often cuneate at base and acute at tip 5. S. japonica 



cc. Fls. smaller, 5-7 mm. long; calyx 2-3 mm. long: lvs. simple, 



oblong to ovate: lvs., stems and calyces green 6. S. plebeia 



1. Salvia splendens Sello ex Nees Scarlet Sage — ^H (I Ch'uan Hung; A-string-of 

 red) (B.M.858). Shrub, to lm.; fls. scarlet. Introduced from Brazil; locally in 

 An., Ku. Planted, ornamental. 



2. Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge fl-# (Tan Shen; Red Ginseng) (Sun 37). Erect peren- 

 nial, to 0.8m.; fls. bluish purple, IV- VI. China, Japan; locally in An., Che., 

 Hon., Hun., Hup., Ki., Ku. Grassland. 



3. Salvia farinacea Benth. (B.M.858). Perennial, to 1 m.; fls. violet blue, V. Introduced 

 from Texas; locally in Ku. Planted, ornamental. 



4. Salvia chinensis Benth. (Sun 39). Erect herb, 3-5 dm. high; fls. purple, VI-X. 

 China; locally in An., Hun., Ki., Ku. Grassland, brushland. 



5. Salvia japonica Thunb. fUl^ (Shu Wei Ts'ao; Rat-tail Herb) (Mak.F.171). 

 Herb, to 0.7 m.; fls. bluish purple, VI-X. Eastern Asia; locally in An., Che., Hun., 

 Hup., Ki., Ku. Grassland. 



6. Salvia plebeia R. Br. WM',' 1 - (Hsueh Chien Ts'ao; Seeing-snow Herb) (Sun 38). 

 Erect herb, to lm.; fls. purple or bluish, V-X. Eastern Asia, Australia; locally 

 in An., Che., Hun., Ki., Ku. Grassland. 



14. Lycopus Linn. Water Horehound JMj&raM (Ti Kua Erh Miao Shu) 

 Perennial mostly stoloniferous marsh herbs with simple erect stems, dentate or 



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