Melittis melissophyllum

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Lamiids
Ordo: Lamiales

Familia: Lamiaceae
Subfamilia: Lamioideae
Tribus: Stachydeae
Genus: Melittis
Species: Melittis melissophyllum
Subspecies: M. m. subsp. albida – M. m. subsp. carpatica – M. m. subsp. melissophyllum
Name

Melittis melissophyllum L., 1753
Synonyms

Homotypic
Melittis melissifolium Salisb., Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton: 87 (1796), nom. superfl.

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Europe
Regional: Northern Europe
Great Britain
Regional: Middle Europe
Austria, Belgium†, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Switzerland
Regional: Southwestern Europe
Corse, France, Portugal, Sardegna, Spain
Regional: Southeastern Europe
Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Romania, Sicilia, Yugoslavia
Regional: Eastern Europe
Belarus, Baltic States, Ukraine
Continental: Asia-Temperate
Regional: Western Asia
Turkey.

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species Plantarum. Tomus II: 597. Reference page.

Additional references

Govaerts, R.H.A. 2003. World Checklist of Selected Plant Families Database in ACCESS: 1-216203. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. [unavailable for the public] Reference page.
Castroviejo, S. & al. (eds.) (2010). Flora Iberica 12: 1-650. Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Madrid.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2022. Melittis melissophyllum in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2022 Apr 02. Reference page.
Hassler, M. 2022. Melittis melissophyllum. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2022. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published online. Accessed: 2022 Apr 02. Reference page.
Tropicos.org 2022. Melittis melissophyllum. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 02 Apr 2022.
International Plant Names Index. 2022. Melittis melissophyllum. Published online. Accessed: Apr 02 2022.

Vernacular names
azərbaycanca: Çin remanniyası
беларуская (тарашкевіца): Кадзіла сармацкае
беларуская: Кадзіла сармацкае
català: Melissa borda
čeština: medovník meduňkolistý
Deutsch: Immenblatt
English: bastard balm
español: Toronjil silvestre
suomi: Mettisenmelittis
français: Mélitte à feuilles de mélisse
hrvatski: Medenika
hornjoserbsce: Rójnik
magyar: déli méhfű
italiano: Erba limona comune
lietuvių: Melisalapė medumėlė
Nederlands: Bijenblad
polski: miodownik melisowaty
português: betónia-bastarda, betónica-bastarda, cideira-bastarda, falsa-cidreira, melissa-bastarda
română: Dumbravnic
русский: Кадило
slovenčina: medúnka medovkolistá

Melittis melissophyllum is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. Its common name is bastard balm. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Melittis.[2] The genus name is derived from the Greek melitta, which is in turn from melissa ("a bee").[3]

Subspecies[1]

Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida (Guss.) P.W.Ball - eastern Mediterranean from Sardinia to Turkey
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. carpatica (Klokov) P.W.Ball - eastern Europe from Austria to Baltic States
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. melissophyllum - western Europe from Britain to Spain + Italy

Distribution

It is native to central and southern Europe from the British Isles + Portugal east to Turkey + Ukraine + Baltic States.[1][4]
Description

Melittis melissophyllum reaches on average 30–50 centimetres (12–20 in) of height, with a minimum of 20 centimetres (7.9 in) and a maximum of 60 centimetres (24 in). It is a strongly aromatic plant with erect hairy stems. The root of this plant is a perennial short rhizome. This species is quite variable in shape of leaves and colors. The leaves reach 5–9 centimetres (2.0–3.5 in) of length. They are oval, bluntly-toothed, quite hairy. They have a short petiole and are in opposite pairs up the stems. The inflorescence is composed of large pedunculated hermaphrodite flowers (two to six, or more) growing in the axils of the leaves. The flowers are labiate, arranged in pairs and are one-sided (all flowers "look" at the same side). They are usually white or pale pink with a large pinkish purple blotch on the lower lip. They are mainly pollinated by bees and moths. The flowering period extends from May through August.
Habitat

The plant grows in shady deciduous woods, often with oak, beech, and chestnut. It can also be found among pines and junipers. It is common at altitudes of 0–1,400 metres (0–4,593 ft) above sea level.
Cultivation
Bastard balm grows well as an edging in a sunny woodland or as a scrubby border. It is attractive to insects. Cultivars include 'Royal Velvet Distinction'.

Notes

Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
Scheen, A. C., et al. (2008). Molecular phylogenetics of tribe Synandreae, a North American lineage of lamioid mints (Lamiaceae). Cladistics 24(3) 299-314.
Nicholson, G., et al. The Illustrated Dictionary of Gardening: Volume 4. L. Upcott Gill. 1887. pg. 347.

Altervista Flora Italiana, Erba limona, Bastard Balm, Melittis melissophyllum L. includes photos + European distribution map

References

Pignatti S. - Flora d'Italia - Edagricole – 1982 Vol. II, pg. 452
Pink, A. - Gardening for the Million (2004) - Project Gutenberg|Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation| ISBN 1-4264-5707-3 Gardening for the Million
Klein Carol - How to grow Melittis melissophyllum - The Daily Telegraph - How to grow
Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Plant Breeders' Rights Office: "Royal Velvet Distinction" - 30 Apr 2007 - Melittis melissophyllum