Author: آمنه غلامی 
Nepeta sessilifolia Bunge
Leila Falah Hoseini, Mohammad Dadmand and Hamzehali Shirmardi
Natural Resources Gene Bank, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran.
Uploaded at December 2025
Scientific editor: Parvin Salehi Shanjani
Seed Storage
The storage behavior of this species is orthodox (desiccation-tolerant seeds); dry to 15-20 % eRH and stored at -20 °C.
Germination requirements
The seeds of this species are not dormant. Sterilize seeds before placing them on wet germination paper. Place seeds for two weeks in 4ºC germinate uniformly. Then germinate under an alternating temperature regime of 15/25 ºC (the higher temperature for 16 hours of light and the lower one for 8 hours of dark).
Morphology
Fruit type: Achene
Fruit shape: Oblong-ellipsoid, ventral and dorsal sides convex, areole two oblique lobs. Surface with incident reticulate, glabrous, slightly lustrous, color brown
Fruit size: length 1.7 to 2 mm, width 1 to 1.2 mm in an accession from Shahrekord, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, with 1000 seed/fruit weight 0.5 g., which was collected and identified in 2017 by Hamzehali Shirmardi, and is stored in the Natural Resources Gene Bank of Iran with the accession number 47395.
Average 1000 seed/fruit weight: 0.5 to 1.2 g
Biological features
Life form: Herbaceous, perennial, woody at base, pubescent. Stems erect, branched from the base, 30 to 70 cm long
Inflorescence, flower type, and pollination mechanism: Inflorescence separated verticillasters, verticillasters with 6 to 10 flowers, pedunculate; flowers zygomorphic, calyx gamosepalous, tubular-campanulate-shaped, straight, 6 to 8 mm long, with five equal tooth, often purplish, corolla gamopetalous, 20 to 30 mm long, 2-lipped, upper lip 2 separated lobs, lower lip 3-lobed, violet. Plant monoecious, cross-pollinated. Pollination is carried out by insects.
Time of flowering: Late spring to mid-summer
Time of seed ripening: Summer
Seed dispersal methods: By seed weight
Geographical distribution: Endemic to Iran. Typus from Qahrud, between Isfahan and Kashan
Distribution in Iran: West, Center, West. Mostly in provinces Isfahan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari and Tehran
Taxonomy
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Nepeta
Species: N. sessilifolia
Persian name: Punesa-e ghahroudi
References and Links
Black, M. and Bewley, J.D. 2000. Seed technology and its biological basis. Sheffield Academic Press, 419 pp.
Bojnanský, V., Fargašová, A. 2007. Atlas of Seeds and Fruits of Central and East-European flora. Published by Springer Dordrecht, The Netherlands. 1046 pp.
Ghahreman, A. 1979-2003. Color flora of Iran. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands Publishers, Tehran.
Jamzad, Z. 2012. Flora of Iran, No. 76: Lamiaceae. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands Press, Tehran, Iran, 1066 pp.
Javadi, H. 2021. Seed: Processing and Quality tests. Agricultural Education & Extension Publishers, 175 pp.
Mozaffarian, V.A. 1998. Dictionary of Iranian plants names. Farhange Moaser Publishers, Tehran, 671 pp.
Mozaffarian, V.A. 2012. A Pictorial dictionary of botany. Farhange Moaser Publisher, Tehran, 1088 pp.
Sharma, O.P. 2009. Plant taxonomy 2E. Tata McGraw-Hill Education, New Delhi, 563 pp.
