Teucrium chamaedrys
Teucrium chamaedrys, the wall germander, is a species of plant native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe and North Africa, and the Middle East as far as Iran. It is used as an ornamental.
Subspecies
- Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. albarracinii Rech.f. - France, Spain
- Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. algeriense Rech.f. - Algeria
- Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. chamaedrys - central + southern Europe, Caucasus, Turkey, Iran
- Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. germanicum Rech.f. - France, Germany
- Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. gracile Rech.f. - Algeria, Morocco
- Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. lydium O.Schwarz - Greece, Turkey
- Teucrium chamaedrys var. multinodum Bordz. - Caucasus
- Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. nuchense Rech.f. - Caucasus
- Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. olympicum Rech.f. - Greece
- Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. pectinatum Rech.f. - France, Italy
- Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. pinnatifidum Rech.f. - France, Spain
- Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. sinuatum Rech.f. - Iran, Iraq, Turkey
- Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. syspirense Rech.f. - Crimea, Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan
- Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. tauricola Rech.f. - Turkey, Syria
- Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. trapezunticum Rech.f. - Caucasus, Turkey
Appearance
Wall germander is a creeping evergreen perennial 6–18 inches tall. Its scalloped, opposite leaves are 0.5–1.5 inches long, dark green, and shiny. In late summer, tubular flowers grow in whorls from the leaf axils.Dietary supplements
Bans
Dietary supplements using germander are highly hepatotoxic. Its sale was prohibited in France by the French Ministry of Health in April 1992. It causes acute hepatitis with an onset delay of 6 weeks to 6 months, and as of 1992 there has been at least one known case of fatal hepatic dysfunction. As of 2017 its sale has been prohibited in the USA.History
Prior to being identified as hepatotoxic, this herb was sold in European pharmacies and health specialty stores for a variety of uses, including the following:- slimming diet
- treatment of mild diarrhea
- topical analgesic for oral cavity infections