Idenitification clues - flower shapes

18th October 2021

Similarities in flower form help to classify plants into families, so the flower shape can often give a clue to help identify individual plants. The characteristic flower of Lamiaceae is hooded, with upper and lower 'lips' - and you can see this in many genera such as Salvia, Nepeta, Lamium and Mentha. Rosemary, which has now been moved to Salvia, has the characteristic flower.