Any of various plants of the genus Salvia in the mint family, having opposite leaves, a two-lipped corolla, and two stamens.
[Latin salvia, sage. See sage2.]
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Any of various plants of the genus Salvia in the mint family, having opposite leaves, a two-lipped corolla, and two stamens.
[Latin salvia, sage. See sage2.]
For more information on salvia, visit Britannica.com.
A genus of the plant family Lamiaceae.
Sal'vi-a. Sage. About 750 species of herbs, subshrubs, or shrubs distributed throughout the tropical and temperate world. The leaves of some species are used as a seasoning.
Description
Stems usually square. Leaves in pairs, opposite, simple, ovalish or lance-shaped, sometimes hairy, the margins toothed or deeply cut into segments, smaller toward the top. Flowers in whorls, the clusters 2- to many-flowered, growing from the axils of small, leafy bracts and arranged in terminal spikes or racemes. Colors varying. Calyx 5-lobed, joined about halfway down. Corolla 2-lipped, 3 lobes in the lower lip and 2 in the upper lip. Stamens 4, in pairs.
How to Grow
All species benefit from being started indoors, but they grow fairly reliably if sown outdoors in warm soil where summers are hot. Start seeds indoors 10 weeks before last frost. Give 75° F (24° C) bottom heat. When danger of frost is past, set out in open, sunny position. Give plenty of water in dry weather. In the South, Southwest, and low elevations of Calif., plants need light to moderate shade. Will not perform well where humidity is quite low. All prefer warm weather.
Salvia argentea
Silver Sage
. 2-4 ft. (60-120 cm) high. Basal leaves broadly ovalish, to 6 in. (15 cm) long, cut into lobes or irregularly toothed, covered with white woolly hairs. Flowers 4-8 in interrupted whorls. Individual flowers to Ɖ in. (13 mm) long, showy, upper lip longer than lower lip, whitish yellow or purplish. Mediterranean region. Perennial grown as a half-hardy annual.
Salvia farinacea
Mealy-Cup Sage
. To 3 ft. (90 cm) high, covered with whitish, short hairs, and mealy. Flowers Ɖ in. (13 mm) long, in many-whorled racemes, violet-blue. Flower-stalks sometimes bluish. Tex. Good for cutting. Perennial grown as half-hardy annual.
Salvia patens
Gentian Sage
. To 3 ft. (90 cm) high and covered with short sticky hairs. Flowers blue, 2-3 in. (5.0-7.5 cm) long, in pairs, in widely spaced racemes. Mts. of Mexico. Cultivar 'Alba' has white flowers. Perennial grown as a half-hardy annual.
Salvia Sclarea
Clary
;
Clear-Eye
. To 3 ft. (90 cm) high. Bracts white at base, rose at tip. Flowers bluish white, 1 in. (2.5 cm) long, in loose, whorled racemes. S. Europe. Perennial or biennial grown as a half-hardy annual.
Salvia splendens
Scarlet Sage
. To 3 ft. (90 cm) high. Bracts colored. Flowers typically scarlet, also white or rose-colored, 1 Ɖ in. (4 cm) long, in whorled racemes. Brazil. Widely used for summer bedding. Tender annual.
Salvia viridis
To 18 in. (45 cm) high. Flowers white, rose, reddish purple or deep purple, Ɖ in. (13 mm) long, in unbranched, elongated spikes. S. Europe. Also called
S. Horminum
. Half-hardy annual.
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Meadow sage Salvia pratensis
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Salvia is a genus of plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is one of three genera commonly referred to as Sage. When used without modifiers, sage generally refers to common sage (Salvia officinalis); however, it can be used with modifiers to refer to any member of the genus. This genus includes approximately 700 to 900 species of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and annuals with almost world wide redistribution, the center of diversity and origin appears to be Central and South Western Asia.[1] Different species of sage are grown as herbs and as ornamental plants.[2] The ornamental species are commonly referred to by their scientific name Salvia.
The closely related genera Perovskia and Phlomis are also known as sage; Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia). Some species of the unrelated genus Artemisia are also referred to as sages, a shortened version of sagebrush. Smudge bundles are made with various grey-leaved species of Artemisia and are misrepresented as "whitesage" smudges. The true whitesage is Salvia apiana, which has a delightful scent when burned.
Salvia species include annual, biennial, or perennial herbs, and a few woody based sub-shrubs. The stems are typically angled like other members in Lamiaceae. The flowers are produced in spikes, racemes, or panicles, and generally produce a showy display with flowers colors ranging from blue to red with white and yellow less common. The calyx is normally tubular or bell shaped, with out bearded throats, and divided into 2 parts or lips, the upper lip entire or 3-toothed, the lower 2-cleft. The corollas are often claw shaped and are 2-lipped with the upper lip entire or notched and the lower spreading. The lower lip typically has 3 lobes with the middle lobe longest. The stamens are reduced to two short structures with anthers 2-celled, the upper cell fertile, and the lower imperfect. The flower styles are 2-cleft. The fruits are smooth nutlets.
Salvia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including (but not limited to) the bucculatricid leaf-miner Bucculatrix taeniola which feeds exclusively on the genus and the Coleophora case-bearers C. aegyptiacae, C. salviella (both feed exclusively on S. aegyptiaca), C. ornatipennella and C. virgatella (both recorded on S. pratensis).
The sage species used as herbs come from the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. Sage has also been grown in central Europe since the Middle Ages.
The name Salvia derives from the Latin salvere, which means "to heal". Indeed this herb is highly regarded for its healing qualities. An ancient proverb states, "Why should a man die who has sage in his garden?". The ancient Greeks used it to treat consumption, ulcers and snake bites.
The Ancient Romans considered sage to be a sacred herb and followed an elaborate ceremony when harvesting it. A sage gatherer would use a special knife (not made of iron as it reacts with the sage), have to have clean clothes and clean feet and a sacrifice of food would have to be made before he could begin. The Romans would use it for toothpaste; they also believed it to be good for the brain, senses and memory. [citation needed]
The Chinese also were quite partial to this herb. 17th century Dutch merchants found that they would trade one chest of sage leaves for three of their teas [1].
Sages are also used by several Native American cultures.
Several types of Salvia are used medicinally:
The aromatic sages strengthen the lungs and can be used in teas or tinctures to prevent coughs. Less aromatic species of Salvia are run-of-the-mill mint-family anti-inflammatories, which means that they can be used for pretty much any infection or inflammation, and will give at least some relief.
Common sage (Salvia officinalis) drunk as a cold tea will stop sweating, while the same tea drunk hot will produce sweating. Cold and hot teas will also either stop or enhance milk production. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy and medicine.
White sage (Salvia apiana) is a very strong general anti-inflammatory, used as tea or tincture. The tincture has a very nice scent and can be used as a perfume. This species is the famous whitesage of smudge sticks.
Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans, old: S. rutilans) is a tender perennial with pineapple-scented leaves. Medicinally, this is perhaps closest to the scented geraniums, a sweet-smelling Pelargonium species.
Red sage (Salvia miltiorrhiza) is used medicinally in Traditional Chinese medicine.
Chia sages. The seeds of these species are used as bulk laxatives, much like the seeds of Psyllium (Plantago spp.) or linseed. Chia has been important in the diet of desert Indians. It is still used for its mucilaginous qualities by Mexican natives.
Diviner's sage (Salvia divinorum) also called Yerba de la Pastora or sometimes just Salvia, is a plant that differs from all the other sages. It is a Mexican visionary herb and there is some evidence it is a true cultivar. It is known to have strong psychoactive properties.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
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