Greek aga — much, stachys — spike, referring to the abundance of flower spikes.
Upright or trailing aromatic perennial herbs with spreading rootstocks. Leaves more or less ovate, with round-toothed margins, occasionally lanceolate or linear with entire margins, stalked. Flower clusters forming dense spikes, sometimes shortly branched, often with leafy bracts. Flowers with calyx 15-veined, with either 5 equal teeth or 3 upper teeth and 2 lower. Corolla 2-lipped, variously coloured. Stamen pairs unequal and usually protruding from the corolla.
Grown mostly as A. foeniculum, for its aromatic foliage.
Seed, division of clumps or by soft or semi-hardwood cuttings.
Various medicinal uses. Several species are used as flavouring for foods and drinks.
Clumping, mostly tall perennials; calyx usually 15-nerved.
About 25 species from C and E Asia, and N America to Mexico.
De Wolf (1953), Sanders (1987).
Source: (2002). Lamiaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 4. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 3. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
