Lamiastrum galeobdolon 花葉野芝麻, 花野芝麻

Common name: Yellow Archangel
Scientific name: Lamiastrum galeobdolon 花葉野芝麻, 花野芝麻
Genus: Lamiastrum 黃野芝麻屬
Family: Lamiaceae or Labiatae 唇形科, mint or deadnettle or sage family

Remarks: The genus name, Lamiastrum means "Lamium-like" and refers to the nettle-like twigs that are also grown as an ornamental ground cover. The specific name, galeobdolon comes form the fact that crushing leaves of Yellow Archangel would produce unpleasant smell like a weasel 鼬, 黃鼠狼. This species was once classified as Lamium galeobdolon. The difference between Lamiastrum 黃野芝麻屬 and Lamium 野芝麻屬  are as follows:

i/ Lamium 野芝麻屬 : lateral lobes of lower lip are short and obscure.

ii/ Lamiastrum 黃野芝麻屬: lateral lobes of lower lip are well-developed.

 Yellow Archangel may well have got its common name from its virtue of not stinging, despite being part of the dead-nettle family, ie. the Lamiaceae or Labiatae. 

There are 3 subspecies of Lamiastrum galeobdolon, their differences are as follows:

a/ Ssp. montanum (native): with stems are pubescent on faces as well as angles; equal to or more than 10 flowers per whorl.

b/ Ssp. galeobdolon (native): with stems that are hairy on angles only; equal to or less than 8 flowers per whorl.

c/ Ssp. argentatum (neophyte): has large, conspicuous white blotches on the leaves.

The photos taken below are believed to be the Lamiastrum galeobdolon Ssp. argentatum.

Origin: Neophyte (established after 1500 AD). It has an uncertain origin, perhaps it is a cultivated variant of subsp. montanum. It was probably introduced in the late 1960s and it was first recorded in the wild was in 1974.

Date:  1st April

An erect plant, can reach up to 60 cm.

Only some of the leaves, especially the lower and older leaves show the white blotches on their surfaces.

The upper, younger leaves are green.

The lower, older leaves have white blotches.

There are hairs (pubescent) on faces as well as angles of the stems.

Flowers in dense axillary whorls.

10 flower buds in this whorl. (Most of the whorls have fewer flowers)

Leaves are stalked. Calyx tubes with five long, equal calyx teeth.

The tiger-striped pattern in the lower lip. Note the lateral lobes of lower lip are well-developed.

Side view of the flower.

Stamens are not protruding beyond corolla.

Looked from below and you could see there are 2 longer stamens, 2 shorter stamens and 1 style covered by the hood.