Biology:Salvia leucantha

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Short description: Species of flowering plant

Salvia leucantha
Salvia leucantha (Mexican Bush Sage).jpg
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Salvia
Species:
S. leucantha
Binomial name
Salvia leucantha

Salvia leucantha, the Mexican bush sage, is a herbaceous perennial plant that is native to subtropical and tropical conifer forests in central and eastern Mexico. The flowers are usually white, emerging from coloured bracts. It is not frost hardy, but is often grown in warmer latitudes for its prominent arching velvety blue or purple inflorescences.[1]

It grows up to 1.3 m (4.3 ft) high and 2 m (6.6 ft) wide, with numerous erect stems, often arching at their tips, and with long inflorescences. The linear-lanceolate leaves are a soft mid-green, with whitish, hairy undersides.[1]

Cultivation

This plant has ornamental value in the garden, and has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[2][3] It is a low-maintenance plant that grows best in full sun and moist but well-drained soils. Flowers attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.[4]

Etymology

The Latin specific epithet Leucantha means ‘white-flowered’.[5]

Uses

A recent analysis of the essential oil of S. leucantha found it to be rich in the sesquiterpene hydrocarbons ; β-caryophyllene, α-guaiene, cis-muurola-3,5-diene, germacrene D, and bicyclogermacrene. Bornyl acetate constituted 23.9% of the oil.[6]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Clebsch, Betsy; Barner, Carol D. (2003). The New Book of Salvias. Timber Press. p. 171. ISBN 978-0-88192-560-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=NM0iwB8GrQYC&pg=PA171. 
  2. "RHS Plant Selector - Salvia leucantha". https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/16345/Salvia-leucantha/Details. 
  3. "AGM Plants - Ornamental". Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 94. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf. 
  4. "Salvia leucantha - Plant Finder" (in en-US). http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=281422&isprofile=0&. 
  5. Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. ISBN:9780521866453 (hardback), ISBN:9780521685535 (paperback). pp 235, 339
  6. Negi, Anuradha; Javed, Mohammad S; Melkani, Anand B; Dev, Vasu; Beauchamp, Philip S (Sep–Oct 2007). "Steam Volatile Terpenoids from Salvia leucantha". Journal of Essential Oil Research 19 (5): 463–465. doi:10.1080/10412905.2007.9699953. ISSN 1041-2905. http://www.jeoronline.com/archive/detail/30#793. 

External links

Wikidata ☰ Q7406821 entry