Plants of South Eastern New South Wales
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Stachys arvensis
Stagger weed
Lamiaceae
Irrigated crops, roadsides, and disturbed sites. Mainly coastal, particularly in the Sydney area. Rarely elsewhere.
Introduced annual herb to 0.35 m high. Stems square in cross section, densely hairy, sometimes sticky. Leaves with an unpleasant strong mint-like odour when rubbed, opposite each other, 1–4 cm long, 8–32 mm wide, surfaces with scattered soft spreading hairs, tips somewhat pointed; bases often cordate; margins toothed to scalloped. Flowers white or pale pink to pale purple; 5–7 mm long; tubular, 2-lipped, the lower lip 3-lobed; the upper lip hooded. Calyx often purplish. Flowers in 2-6-flowered whorls, forming a leafy interrupted spike. Flowers mainly May–Nov.
PlantNET description: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Stachys~arvensis (accessed 7 February, 2021)
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