An evergreen shrub 2 to 3 ft high, all of whose vegetative parts are covered with a fine grey down. Leaves stalkless, not toothed, linear, 1⁄3 to 11⁄4 in. long, 1⁄16 to 1⁄8 in. wide, the margins recurved. Main flower-stem from 1⁄2 to 11⁄2 in. long, carrying at the top a spike of closely set blossom 1 to 2 in. long, 1⁄2 in. wide. The variously shaped bracts constitute the most conspicuous and beautiful part of the inflorescence, being purple, ovate or rhomboidal, 1⁄4 to 3⁄4 in. wide, downy, strongly veined. Flowers deeply purple, the small exposed part of the corolla 1⁄8 in. wide. The inflorescence has at the top a few enlarged leaflike purple bracts of obovate outline and 1⁄2 to 1 in. long.
Native of S.W. Europe, extending eastwards along the Mediterranean region to Greece; also of N. Africa. It flowers in its native haunts from April onwards, but commences later with us. It was in cultivation in the middle 16th century and is mentioned by Turner and Gerard in their Herbals as ‘French lavende’. Its hardiness is about the same as that of L. dentata (q.v.). It is easily distinguished by its very short main flower-stalk and stout spike of flowers crowned with a tuft of large foliaceous bracts (but see also L. pedunculata). The shoots and leaves have a curious somewhat pine-like odour when crushed. It succeeds well on the chalk at Highdown, near Worthing.
var. leucantha Gingins de Lassaraz L. s. var. albiflora Bean – A white-flowered variety both as regards bracts and corolla. Messrs Ellman and Sand-with, in June 1925, found a plant growing near Villefranche, in the Eastern Pyrenees, bearing both white and typical purple bracts and flowers.
The name ‘stoechas’, once applied genetically to this species and to L. pedunculata, is derived from the Stoechades of the ancients (now the lies d’Hyères). Plants growing there were most highly esteemed for their medicinal virtues.