Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida (Guss.) P. W. Ball

Posted byTrajche DimitrovskiPosted inLamiaceae, Uncategorized

Taxonomy: Fam. Lamiaceae// Genus: Melittis // Species: Melittis melissophyllum L.// Subspecies: Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida (Guss.) P. W. Ball.

Determined according to the botanical keys provided by Ball in Tutin et al. (1972) and Matevski in Matevski (2021).

Lifeform: Perennial, hemicryptophyte according to the Raunkiaer system.

Distribution: Native from Sardegna and Italy to Southeast Europe and Türkiye, according to the distribution information provided by the Plants of the World Online portal (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew).

Habitat: European beech forests (found at c. 900 m altitude).

Flowering period: Spring – summer: MAY, JUN.

Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – habit. Osogovo – “Kochanski dol” near village of Shtalkovica, 03.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – habit. Osogovo – “Kochanski dol” near village of Shtalkovica, 03.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – habit. Osogovo – “Kochanski dol” near village of Shtalkovica, 03.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – stem with flower buds. Osogovo – “Kochanski dol” near village of Shtalkovica, 03.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – flowers. Osogovo – “Kochanski dol” near village of Shtalkovica, 03.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – side view of flowers. Osogovo – “Kochanski dol” near village of Shtalkovica, 03.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – flowers. Osogovo – “Kochanski dol” near village of Shtalkovica, 03.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – side view of flower. Osogovo – “Kochanski dol” near village of Shtalkovica, 03.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – side view of developing flowers and calyx. Osogovo – “Kochanski dol” near village of Shtalkovica, 03.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – leaves. Osogovo – “Kochanski dol” near village of Shtalkovica, 03.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – leaf. Osogovo – “Kochanski dol” near village of Shtalkovica, 03.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – stems with leaves. Osogovo – “Kochanski dol” near village of Shtalkovica, 03.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – adaxial side of leaves. Osogovo – “Kochanski dol” near village of Shtalkovica, 03.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – abaxial side of leaves. Osogovo – “Kochanski dol” near village of Shtalkovica, 03.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – stem and petioles. Osogovo – “Kochanski dol” near village of Shtalkovica, 03.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida – indmentum of stem with heairs and glands. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

References:

Melittis melissophyllum subsp. albida (Guss.) P.W.Ball. Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:883948-1 [Accessed 08.05.2025].

Melittis L. Ball, P.W. in Tutin, T.G., Heywood, V.H., Burges, N.A., Moore, D.M., Valentine, D.H., Walters, S.M. & Webb, D.A. (1972). Flora Europaea. Volume 3: Diapensiaceae to Myoporaceae. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 143.

Melittis L. Matevski, V. in Matevski, V. The Flora of the RN Macedonia Vol II, Book 2. Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Skopje, pp. 242 – 243.