Author: آمنه غلامی 
Salvia lachnocalyx Hedge
Leila Falah Hoseini, Mohammad Dadmand, Ahmad Hatami and Mahmoud Bazrafkan
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 store at -20°C.
Germination requirements
The seeds of this species are not dormant. They produce mucilage when soaked in water. Sterilize seeds before placing them on wet germination paper. Place seeds for two weeks at 4 ºC to germinate uniformly. Then germinate under an alternating temperature regime of 15/20 ºC (the higher temperature for 16 hours in light and the lower one for eight hours in dark).
Morphology
Fruit type: Achene
Fruit shape: Obovate to subspherical, dorsal side round, ventral side convex, apex round, base narrowed, hilum round sublateral. Surface smoot, lustrous, glabrous, brown with dark veins
Fruit size: Length 2.4 to 2.9 mm, width 1.7 to 2.2 mm in an accession from Eqlid, Fars with 1000 seed/fruit weight 2.86 g, which was collected and identified in 2017 by Ahmad Hatami and Mahmoud Bazrafkan, and is stored in the Natural Resources Gene Bank of Iran with the accession number of 48902.
Average 1000 seed/fruit weight: 2.86 g
Biological features
Life form: Herbaceous, perennial, woody at base, pubescent. Stems erect, numerous, 30 to 80 cm long
Inflorescence, flower type, and pollination mechanism: Inflorescence, flower type, and pollination mechanism: Inflorescence spike-like with interrupted verticillasters; flower zygomorphic, calyx gamosepalous, campanulate, 7 to 10 mm long, pubescent, 2-lipped, upper lip 3-toothed, lower lip 2-toothed, teeth short; corolla gamopetalous, 18 to 25 mm long, 2-lipped, upper lip fused 2-lobed, lower lip 3-lobed, color purple with blue or pink streaks. Plant monoecious, cross-pollinated. Pollination is carried out by insects.
Time of flowering: Spring
Time of seed ripening: Early summer
Seed dispersal methods: By seed weight
Geographical distribution: Endemic to Iran. Typus from Fars
Distribution in Iran: South and Center. Mostly in the province Fars
Taxonomy
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Salvia
Species: S. lachnocalyx
Persian name: Mariyamgoli-e eghlidi
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.
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.
