Salvia veneris

Description

Salvia veneris, the Kythrean sage, is a species of flowering plant in the Lamiaceae family that is endemic to Cyprus. It is found in a very small area just west of the village of Kythrea. A study in 2004 found only approximately 4,000 surviving plants. Salvia veneris has felt-like leaves growing in a basal rosette. The flowers are bi-colored, with the upper lip blue and the lower lip white with pale yellow markings. The stems give off a pleasant fragrance when crushed. The basal rosette leaf habit is unusual in the Salvia genus, and is thought to be an adaptation to grazing by goats.