Stachys reticulata
| Stachys reticulata | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Stachys |
| Species: | S. reticulata
|
| Binomial name | |
| Stachys reticulata | |
Stachys reticulata, the Pilgrim's Rest woundwort, is a species of hedgenettle endemic to South Africa's Mpumalanga province.[2][3][4]
Description
This species is a perennial herb with creeping to spreading stems that branch freely and can reach up to 60 cm (24 in) in length. The stems are densely covered with soft hairs.[2][4]
The leaves are borne on short stalks and have fairly firm, broadly ovate to almost kidney-shaped blades, 10–30 mm (0.39–1.18 in) long. The upper surface is brownish and bristly, while the underside is paler, covered in dense hairs, dotted with glands, and shows a net-like pattern of veins. The leaves have a rounded to slightly pointed tip, a broadly heart-shaped base, and shallowly scalloped margins.[4]
The flowers are arranged in a loose inflorescence of two to four whorls, sometimes forming a short cluster. Each whorl bears four to six flowers. The calyx is moderately hairy and glandular. The corolla is white to pale mauve, with a short tube and two lips, the lower lip longer and curved downward.[4]
Identification
Stachys reticulata can be confused with other members of the so-called Stachys aethiopica Complex. From Stachys natalensis, it can be distinguished by its 4–6-flowered whorls, against the latter's two. Its spreading calyx teeth and net-like pattern of veins on the underside of the leaves help separate it from Stachys aethiopica, while in Stachys rehmannii the hairs are stellate, not simple.[2][4]
Distribution and habitat
Stachys reticulata grows among rocks in mountain grassland in the mountains of Mpumalanga at altitudes of 1,500–2,200 m (4,900–7,200 ft). As its English-language common name suggests, records of the plant centre on the village of Pilgrim's Rest.[4]
References
- ^ "Stachys reticulata". Red List of South African Plants. SANBI. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
- ^ a b c Codd, L. E. (11 November 1977). "A note on the Stachys aethiopica Complex". Bothalia. 12 (2). Botanical Research Institute, Dept. of Agricultural Technical Services: 181–189. doi:10.4102/ABC.V12I2.1392. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
- ^ Klopper, R.R.; Winter, P.J.D., eds. (20 March 2025). "The South African National Plant Checklist: 2025 official yearly release". South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). Retrieved 8 January 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f Codd, L. E. W., Dyer, R. A., Rycroft, H. B., de Winter, B. (1985). Flora of Southern Africa: The Republic of South Africa, Basutoland, Swaziland and South West Africa. Vol. 28. Govt. Printer. p. 72. ISBN 0621082686.
See also
External links
- SANBI Biodiversity Advisor
- African Plant Database
- Media related to Stachys reticulata at Wikimedia Commons
- Data related to Stachys reticulata at Wikispecies