Syn.: Stachys neglecta Klokov, Stachys micrantha C. Koch, Stachys betonica Crantz, Betonica annua L.
Family: Lamiaceae Martinov
Distribution: Extends from France through Germany and Ukraine to the Urals in the north and in central Italy, central Greece, Anatolia to the Caspian Sea in the south. In Czechia it grows rarely in south Moravia.
Ecology: It grows mainly in fields, ruins, road verges and vineyards. Prefers neutral to alkaline soils. It flowers from June to September.
Description: An annual, rarely perennial 10–40 cm tall plants. The stem is branched, slightly hairy. The leaves are petiolate, glabrous or shortly hairy, lamina is ovate to lanceolate, base is wedge-shaped, 2–6 cm long, 0.5–2 cm wide. The inflorescence is verticillastrate with 2–8 flowers. The flowers are shortly pedunculated, the calyx is slightly 2-lipped to almost regular, 6–9 mm long, the sepals triangular to lanceolate, softly hairy. The corrola is 1–1.5 cm long, on the outside shortly and softly hairy, the upper lip is flat, curved upwards, white-based with purple spots, the lower lip is pale creamy, triangular with middle lobe largest. The fruit is nutlet.
Threat and protection: The Annual Hedgenettle is an endangered species of the Czech flora (EN).
These images were taken in Slovakia, Tornaľa (July 4, 2006).
