Salvia mellifera: Difference between revisions
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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[[California chaparral and woodlands |
*[[California chaparral and woodlands]] |
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==Notes== |
==Notes== |
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Revision as of 22:05, 6 October 2010
| Salvia mellifera | |
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| Species: | S. mellifera
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| Salvia mellifera | |
Salvia mellifera (Black sage) is a small, highly aromatic, evergreen shrub of the genus Salvia (the sages) native to California, USA and Baja California, Mexico. It is common in the coastal sage scrub of Southern California and northern Baja California.[1] Black sage has a dark appearance, especially during drought.
Morphology
Black sage is a perennial shrub that grows approximately 1-2 m (3-6 ft) tall. It is covered with simple hairs with some glandular hairs, which makes it highly aromatic. The leaves are oblong-elliptic to obovate in shape and are about 2.5–7 cm (1-2.8 in) long. The upper surface of the leaf is somewhat glabrous, while the lower surface of the leaf is hairy.[1]
The inflorescence occurs in 1.6–4 cm (0.6-1.6 in) -wide clusters. The flowers are usually a pale blue or lavender color, and rarely a pale rose color. The upper lip of the flower is 2-lobed. The style and stamens are slightly exserted. The fruit produced by the black sage is a schizocarp composed of four 2–3 mm (0.08-0.12 in) brown nutlets.[1]
Ecology
Black sage grows in the coastal sage scrub and lower chaparral plant communities. It occurs from sea level to 1200 m (3900 ft) elevation.[1] It needs about 38 cm (15 in) of rainfall.[clarification needed] Black sage is able to grow on a variety of different soils, including sandstone, shale, granite, serpentinite, and gabbro or basalt. It is semi-deciduous, depending on the location and severity of drought, shallow rooted, and drought tolerant by leaf curling rather than drought-avoiding through leaf drop.
This hardy sage hybridizes easily with other common, coastal scrub Salvias such as Salvia apiana (white sage), and Salvia leucophylla, both of which -- unlike the black sage -- have whitish tomentose or appressed hairs [2].
See also
Notes
External links
