Sideritis linearifolia, Lam.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1972, Flora Europaea. Volume 3. Diapensiacea to Myoporaceae, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press : 141

10. S. linearifolia Lam. , Encycl. Méth. Bot. 2: 168 (1786)

(S. pungens Bentham ).

Glabrescent perennial up to 60 cm. Stem green, 4-angled, glabrescent, the hairs short, often restricted to 2 opposite sides, curved forwards. Leaves 15-40x 1 -5- 3 - 5 mm, linear or lanceolate, entire, spiny-tipped. Verticillasters 4-12, c. 6-flowered, usually crowded. Lower bracts 8-14 x 9-16 mm, cordate-ovate, equalling or exceeding calyx, very coarsely spinose-dentate with numerous teeth and a distinct, elongate, more or less entire terminal tooth. Calyx 5-7 mm, with a ring of hairs inside. Corolla 7-10 mm, yellow, often tinged with purple. Scrub, cultivated fields and waste places. N., C. & E. Spain, S. Portugal. Hs Lu.

Extremely variable in N. Spain. Dwarf, broader leaved variants are sometimes recognized as a separate variety, subspecies or species and some of them resemble 8(b). Plants from S. Portugal sometimes referred to this species, or to 12 or 3, have greenish stems with forwardly curved hairs mainly on 2 opposite sides, leaves 20-30 mm, verticillasters crowded, and lowermost bracts with a distinct long terminal tooth. S. giennensis [Pau ex] Font Quer, Cavanillesia 1: 40 (1928) from S.E. Spain (Sierras de Cazorla, Cabrilla and del Cuarto) is somewhat intermediate between 8-10 and 5. It has leaves 15-25 x 2- 5 mm, linear-lanceolate or -spathulate; verticillasters 2-6, usually crowded; bracts with a large, distinct, entire central tooth; calyx c. 8 mm, about equalling the bracts; corolla 9- 10 mm, yellow, darker inside. It may represent a distinct species but further material needs to be studied.