Ballota

A genus of about twenty-five species of herbs and sub-shrubs, most of them natives of the Mediterranean region. One, however, is widespread in Europe including the British Isles, two or three are found in north­east tropical Africa, and one is S. African. Ballota pseudodictamnus, with white woolly leaves, is the most decorative of the genus, but is scarcely woody enough to qualify for treatment here.