Craniotome furcata - Multicolored Catmint

Multicolored Catmint is a perennial herb with erect stem 40-100 cm tall, branched above, round, sturdy at base, slender above. Leaves are broadly and regularly ovate, 5.5-10 x 4-7 cm, long-pointed, toothed, heart-shaped or rounded at base, sparsely hairy, finely gland-dotted below. Leaf-stalks of lower leaves are up to 6 cm, smaller above. Flower clusters are borne laterally and at the end of stems, usually shortly stalked. Flower-stalks are slender 5-15 mm, erect. Sepal cup is 1-1.5 mm in flower, glandular hairy, not 2-lobed, teeth 5 equal, about 0.5 mm, narrow triangular. Sepal tube is hairy at throat, fruiting calyx 2-2.5 mm, broad. Flowers open cream and become pink then purple, 3-4 mm, externally hairy, upper lobe almost absent, flat-truncate. Lower lip is 3-lobed with the median lobe largest. Flower-tube is slender, straight, 2.5-3.5 mm, scarcely wider at throat, internally with long eglandular hairs. Nutlets are 0.7 x 0.5 mm, smooth, pale brown. Multicolored Catmint is found in the Himalayas, from Kumaun to Bhutan, Burma, SW China, Indo-China, at altitudes of 1000-2400 m. Flowering: August-September.