Surely this is a Lamiaceae. The rugose leaves look like mint but had no smell. The flowers in spikes look a little like thyme, with a decorative persistent calyx. The stems and peduncle are purple. All parts are hairy in the photos, but that wasn't particularly noticeable when I was looking at them. These are almost completely finished blooming, with just a few flowers remaining at the tops of some inflorescences. The closest I have finally found is Agastache rugosa. Am I close?
Thanks, Arlette. I can't tell. All the photos I have found show leaves that are longer and more narrow than what I am seeing here, but it does look a lot like what was posted for ID at more UBC Botanical Garden questions. Common name for that is Iranian Germander. Why doesn't Wikipedia show Teucrium hircanicum?
Good morning @wcutler ! This fact about Wikipedia intrigues me a lot and I will try to explain this inconsistency. Furthermore, if you authorize me to use your photos, for this and for a further attempt to identify the plant I might be interested in a dedicated Italian Forum in which I participate. Let me know thanks!
I am always happy to let anyone use my photos - they are all named and include my name. Thanks, Arlette.
Arlette, I think you're right. Agastache photos do not look hairy like this, and the lower part of the flowers hangs straight down, whereas on this it seems to wrap around. I saw another group today, that I think is the same thing. It's as hairy anyway. My photos are not as good as the ones I first posted, but seeing what I have to look at on the internet, I don't have to feel that bad about them, although they're not quite good enough for me to be sure they match to the others. I did find a really good photo of Teucrium hircanicum though: Purple Wood Sage (Teucrium hircanicum). And here is one showing the calyces after the flowers have fallen. I assume that's what that is, though it's a pretty unusual shape for a calyx. Teucrium hircanicum.
@wcutler Good morning! Howver, I have already posted the question in the "Plants in the world" section and let's see if and when they answer me. With the occasion I finally learned to compress images (with the computer I am a bit a "shoe") because your beautiful photos were a bit heavy for the other Forum. On never stop learning! lol
@wcutler The answer has arrived: I confirm Teucrium hircanicum L. adding only that those cultivated are cultivars. T. hircanicum L. is a typical Caucasian species distributed in an area that includes the NE of Turkey, the North of Iran, Azerbaijan, and the Russian provinces around the Caspian Sea. Дубровник гирканский - Teucrium hircanicum - Описание таксона - Плантариум Good weekend!!!!!
That's great, Arlette. Thank you! The page you linked to asked if I wanted to translate from the Russian.
@wcutler Yes, in fact, as a text there is nothing that could interest us, they have attached it because in a single page there are all the images necessary for the comparison to prove the identification.
In the old posting of it at UBCBG (linked to in posting #3), Brent Hine mentioned that he was removing it from the Alpine Garden because it was becoming a nuisance weed.
