Salvia namaensis (Nama sage) is an evergreen perennial shrub native to a limited area in Namibia and a wide area of South Africa (the Cape Provinces and the Free State).[1] It is typically found growing on rocky slopes, shales, limestone hills, and sandy soils at 1,000 to 5,000 feet elevation. The specific epithet namaensis probably refers to the Nama tribe which is indigenous to Namaqualand, the region in Namibia where the plant grows.[2]

Salvia namaensis
Salvia namaensis at the Jardín Botánico in Barcelona
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Salvia
Species:
S. namaensis
Binomial name
Salvia namaensis

Salvia namaensis is a slightly woody shrub that reaches 3 feet tall and wide. The small leaves (0.75 inch) are irregular and pinnatifid, giving the plant an airy appearance. The leaves are yellow-green, along with the new stems and calyx. The short inflorescences, about 4 inches long, have 2 to 6 flowers growing in each whorl. Flowering is typically light, with white or very pale blue corollas that are about 0.6 inches long. There are reportedly some that have mauve flowers.[2]

Notes

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  1. ^ "Salvia namaensis". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2015-08-12.
  2. ^ a b Clebsch, Betsy; Barner, Carol D. (2003). The New Book of Salvias. Timber Press. p. 205. ISBN 978-0-88192-560-9.