Order Lamiales - Boraginaceae, Lamiaceae, Verbenaceae
Lamiaceae are usually herbs. A few are shrubs. Flowers have a calyx of 5 united petals and a corolla of 5 united sepals. They are usually bilaterally symmetrical with a superior ovary. There are 4 stamens attached to the petals. Configuration of the anthers is an important characteristic in separating the genera. The ovary is composed of two carpels, each two lobed, so it almost appears as 4 united carpels. The style is two forked. The fruits are 4 small seedlike nutlets.
Inflorescences may be terminal racemes or clusters of flowers in the leaf axils.
Stems are usually square. Leaves are opposite, usually aromatic, and toothed are lobed. They are often gland dotted. Successive leaf pairs are arise at 90 degree intervals along the stem.
Characteristics separating the Genera
- anther characteristics- anther sac connective elongated.
- anther sacs parallel or divergent.
- flowers in terminal spikelike racemes or flowers arising from leaf axils.
- flowers in subglobse clusters forming interrupted spikes.
- flower length
- stems densly or sparsely wooly.
- number of calyx teeth.
- calyx teeth hooked.
- upper calyx with crest.
- number of flower clusters
- number of flowers in a cluster.
- flowers distinctly two lipped or nearly regular.
- presence or absence of bracts.