Sideritis hyssopifolia

Sideritis hyssopifolia, hyssop-leaved mountain ironwort. A 40 cm high shrublet with narrow pointed leaves. The flowers (1 cm) are borne in dense cylindrical clusters from broad spiny-toothed bracts. The calyx also has spiny teeth. Flowers June–August. The Latin word hyssopifolia (which also occurs in several other plant names, including that of cuphea hyssopifolia) means 'hyssop-leaved'. Mountains of Southwestern Europe at 1500–1800 m altitude.