Horminum

Dragon's Mouth ( Horminum pyrenaicum )

The dragon's mouth ( Horminum pyrenaicum ) is the only species of the genus Horminum that belongs to the mint family ( Lamiaceae). This type is also known as Pyrenean dragon's mouth, although it has its origin in the Alps. The genus name is derived from horminon, hormao for encouraging from, because supposedly this type has been used as an aphrodisiac.

Description

The dragon's mouth is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches the plant height 10-30 inches. The square stems is nearly bare, but occupied by small hairs with sessile glands.

The simple leaves are almost all in a basal rosette. There are more than one or two pairs small stem leaves present. The long -stalked basal leaves have an oval or round shape and are wrinkled with a blunt notched leaf edge.

The arranged in einseitswendiger disc Dieting flowers are in pairs up to fourth whorls in the axils of the bracts. The zygomorphic flowers are hermaphrodite. The sepals are fused. The violet crown is 15 to 20 millimeters long and about twice as long as the calyx. This is two-lipped with long pointed teeth. The upright upper lip emarginate, the lower lip three parts. The flowering period extends from June to August.

Occurrence

The distribution area includes the Southern Alps, from Lake Lugano to Julian and Salzburg Alps, Savoy, maritime Alps, next to the Pyrenees and the Apuan Alps.

In Austria this species Salzburg ( from the high king to the Leogang Stone Mountains ), Tyrol ( in Wörgl ), East Tyrol ( Carnic Alps) and Vorarlberg (Lech Valley Alps ) grows in the provinces of Carinthia. In the Southern Alps it is rare, but it grows sociable. Area, they also occurs frequently, for example in the area of ​​Lake Garda. Very rare occurrence in the northern Alps are präglazial - reliktisch.

As the location preferred kalkstete plant lean pastures, stony grass, dirt and sparse forests. The dragon's mouth is common at altitudes 1000-3500 meters.