Teucrium chamaedrys

Teucrium chamaedrys, the wall germander,^[1] is a species of plant native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe and North Africa, and the Middle East as far as Iran.^[2][3][4][5] It is used as an ornamental.

Wall germander
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Lamiaceae
Genus:	Teucrium
Species:	T. chamaedrys
Binomial name
Teucrium chamaedrys L.

Subspecies

1. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. albarracinii (Pau) Rech.f. - France, Spain
2. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. algeriense Rech.f. - Algeria
3. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. chamaedrys - central + southern Europe, Caucasus, Turkey, Iran
4. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. germanicum (F.Herm.) Rech.f. - France, Germany
5. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. gracile (Batt.) Rech.f. - Algeria, Morocco
6. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. lydium O.Schwarz - Greece, Turkey
7. Teucrium chamaedrys var. multinodum Bordz. - Caucasus
8. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. nuchense (K.Koch) Rech.f. - Caucasus
9. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. olympicum Rech.f. - Greece
10. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. pectinatum Rech.f. - France, Italy
11. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. pinnatifidum (Sennen) Rech.f. - France, Spain
12. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. sinuatum (Celak.) Rech.f. - Iran, Iraq, Turkey
13. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. syspirense (K.Koch) Rech.f. - Crimea, Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan
14. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. tauricola Rech.f. - Turkey, Syria
15. Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. trapezunticum Rech.f. - Caucasus, Turkey

Appearance

Wall germander is a creeping evergreen perennial 6–18 inches tall. Its scalloped, opposite leaves are 0.5–1.5 inches long, dark green, and shiny. In late summer, tubular flowers grow in whorls from the leaf axils.

Dietary supplements

Bans

Dietary supplements using germander are highly hepatotoxic (causing liver damage). Its sale was prohibited in France by the French Ministry of Health in April 1992. It causes acute hepatitis with an onset delay of 6 weeks to 6 months, and as of 1992 there has been at least one known case of fatal hepatic dysfunction (death from liver damage).^[6] As of 2017 its sale has been prohibited in the USA.^[7]

History

Prior to being identified as hepatotoxic, this herb was sold in European pharmacies and health specialty stores for a variety of uses, including the following:^[8]

• slimming diet
• treatment of mild diarrhea
• topical analgesic for oral cavity infections

Cultivation

Wall germander can be grown in USDA Zones 5–10. It may be propagated by vegetative cuttings or by the division of established clumps.

Gallery

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  Plants
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  Inflorescence
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  Flowers
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  Close-up
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  Leaves