| Lamium maculatum | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Lamium |
| Species: | L. maculatum |
| Binomial name | |
| Lamium maculatum L. |
|
Lamium maculatum (also known as Spotted Deadnettle, Spotted Henbit and Purple Dragon) is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae.
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This species is very variable, in term of leaf size and shape, hairiness and flower colours. Lamium maculatum reaches on average 20–80 centimetres (7.9–31 in) of height. It is a plant with erect, hollow and pubescent stems, branched at the base only. The soft hairy leaf blade is about 8 inches long. They are spotted (hence the Latin name “maculatum” of this species), toothed and have long petioles, about 2–4 centimetres (0.79–1.6 in) long. Their shape varies from ovate-triangular to heart-shaped. The inflorescence]] bears about two to eight hermaphrodite flowers about 20–30 millimetres (0.79–1.2 in) long. The flowers of the plant are formed in the leaf axils of the upper leaf pairs. The upper lip of the flowers are helmet-shaped, usually pink or purplish, while the bilobate lower one is whitish with purple dots. The stamens are located in the upper lip and have orange pollen. The flowering period extends from April through November.
Once known as the "Convicts flower" for its appearance upon the marsh graves of inmates along the Thames at Woolwich and Deptford.
Lamium maculatum was depicted in a painting by Carl Linnaeus in the 18th century [1].
Lamium maculatum 'Purple Dragon' has unusually purple snapdragon-type flowers several times a year, over bright silver foliage with a green edge. Grows 4-8" tall in shaded or partially shaded areas in Australia. It tends to grow higher in spring while during the colder weather it is much flatter to the ground. If subjected to light frost, lamium maculatum will recover in spring as it enters its growth cycle.
This plant is native throughout Europe and temperate Asia (Lebanon, Syria, Turkey).
It grows in a variety of habitats from open grassland to woodland, generally on moist, fertile soils at an altitude of 0–1,200 metres (0–3,900 ft) above sea level.
A wide variety of cultivars have been developed, mainly for their coloured and varigated leaves: