Stachys

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{{Taxobox | color = lightgreen | name = Stachys | image = Stachys_monnieri0.jpg | image_width = 240px | image_caption = Stachys monnieri | regnum = Plantae | divisio = Magnoliophyta | classis = Magnoliopsida | ordo = Lamiales | familia = Lamiaceae | genus = Stachys | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = About 300; see text }}

Stachys is a genus of about 300 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants and shrubs in the family Lamiaceae. The distribution of the genus covers Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia and North America. Common names include woundwort, betony, and hedgenettle.

The stems vary from 50-300 cm tall, with simple, opposite triangular leaves 1-14 cm long with serrated margins; in most species the leaves are softly hairy. The flowers are 1.2 cm long, clustered in the axils of the leaves on the upper part of the stem, the corolla 5-lobed with the top lobe forming a 'hood', varying from white to pink, purple, red or pale yellow.

Stachys species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the Coleophora case-bearers C. auricella (recorded on S. officinalis), C. lineolea and C. wockeella (feeds exclusively on S. officinalis).

Selected species
  • Stachys affinis - Chinese artichoke
  • Stachys alopecuros
  • Stachys alpina - Alpine Woundwort
  • Stachys annua - Annual Woundwort
  • Stachys arvensis - Field Woundwort
  • Stachys bullata
  • Stachys byzantina - Woolly Betony, Lamb's Ears
  • Stachys candida
  • Stachys chrysantha
  • Stachys ciliata
  • Stachys citrina
  • Stachys coccinea
  • Stachys corsica
  • Stachys cretica
  • Stachys discolor
  • Stachys ehrenbergii
  • Stachys floridana - Florida Hedgenettle, Florida Betony
  • Stachys germanica - Downy Woundwort
  • Stachys hyssopifolia
  • Stachys iva
  • Stachys lavandulifolia
  • Stachys libanotica
  • Stachys macrantha
  • Stachys macrostachya
  • Stachys monnieri
  • Stachys officinalis - Wood Betony
  • Stachys palustris - Marsh Woundwort
  • Stachys pumila
  • Stachys recta - Yellow Woundwort
  • Stachys riddellii
  • Stachys sylvatica - Hedge Woundwort
  • Stachys sylvestris
  • Stachys tenuifolia - Smooth Hedgenettle

The Chinese artichoke (S. affinis), is grown for its edible tuber.

Woolly Betony (S. byzantina) is a popular decorative garden plant.

The name woundwort derives from its past use in herbal medicine for the treatment of wounds.

Stachys byzantina

Stachys palustris

Stachys sylvatica (Hedge Woundwort)

"General Woundwort", named after the plant, is a rabbit in the novel Watership Down by Richard Adams.ar:بطنج da:Galtetand-slægten de:Ziest fr:Épiaire lt:Notra nl:Andoorn pl:Czyściec (roślina)

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