Citation: L., Sp. Pl. 590 (1753).

Derivation: The Greek name for some species of the genus; thought to be derived from the Egyptian name.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: None

Description:
Perennial shrublets with quadrangular branches becoming woody, with simple hairs and sessile glands; leaves sessile to subpetiolate, opposite, entire and with a strongly recurved margin.

Inflorescence a thyrse without a peduncle, with sessile cymose part-inflorescences usually forming clusters of few often pedicellate flowers around the nodes and with elongated internodes between them at least on lower parts, with a pair of leaf-like bracts subtending them; sepals unequally connate, 2-lipped, with the posterior lip shortly 3-lobed, with the anterior lip deeply 2-lobed, with stiff cilia, hairy inside and outside and with sessile glands outside; corolla 2-lipped with posterior lip broadly oblong, scarcely 2-lobed, with anterior lip divided into 3 almost equal lobes; stamens 4 fertile, inserted just below the throat of the corolla tube; anthers with 2 cells fertile and somewhat diverging from a slightly broadened connective, exserted beyond the posterior lip; ovary deeply 4-lobed, with each locule with 1 basal ovule, with a gynobasic style and a terminal shortly 2-fid stigma.

Fruit usually with 4 mericarps each oblong-obovoid, without keels, with the attachment scar small, basal.

Distribution:  At least 300 species found mainly in temperate Eurasia; 1 species naturalised in Australia.

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available