Salvia officinalis subsp. lavandulifolia

Salvia officinalis subsp. lavandulifolia

Spanish sage (Salvia officinalis subsp. Lavendulifolia (Vahl) Gams) is a herbaceous species belonging to the Lamiaceae family.

Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota Domain,
Kingdom Plantae,
Subarign Tracheobionta,
Spermatophyta superdivision,
Magnoliophyta Division,
Magnoliopsida class,
Subclass Asteridae,
Lamiales Order,
Lamiaceae family,
Subfamily Nepetoideae,
Salviinae sub-tribe,
Genus Salvia,
S. officinalis species,
Subspecies S. O. lavandulifolia.
The terms are synonymous:
– Salvia approximata Pau;
– Salvia hispanorum Lag.;
– Salvia lavandulifolia Vahl;
– Salvia lavandulifolia subsp. approximata (Pau) Figuerola;
– Salvia lavandulifolia subsp. lavandulifolia Vahl, 1804;
– Salvia lavandulifolia subsp. pyrenaeorum W.Lippert;
– Salvia lavandulifolia var. adenostachys (O.Bolòs & Vigo) Figuerola;
– Salvia lavandulifolia var. approximata (Pau) Figuerola, Stübing & Peris;
– Salvia lavandulifolia var. pyrenaeorum (W.Lippert) Figuerola, Stübing & Peris;
– Salvia lavandulifolia var. trichostachya (Font Quer ex O.Bolòs & Vigo) Figuerola;
– Salvia officinalis f. adenostachys O.Bolòs & Vigo;
– Salvia officinalis f. lavandulifolia (Vahl) Pau;
– Salvia officinalis f. pyrenaeorum (W.Lippert) O.Bolòs & Vigo, 1983;
– Salvia officinalis f. trichostachya Font Quer;
– Salvia officinalis f. trichostachya Font Quer ex O.Bolòs & Vigo;
– Salvia officinalis var. adenostachys (O.Bolòs & Vigo) Figuerola;
– Salvia officinalis var. adenostachys (O.Bolòs & Vigo) O.Bolòs & Vigo;
– Salvia officinalis var. approximata (Pau) O.Bolòs & Vigo;
– Salvia officinalis var. hispanica Boiss.;
– Salvia officinalis var. hispanorum (Lag.) Benth.;
– Salvia officinalis var. lavandulifolia (Vahl) O.Bolòs & Vigo;
– Salvia officinalis var. pyrenaeorum (W.Lippert) O.Bolòs & Vigo, 1995;
– Salvia officinalis var. trichostachya (Font Quer ex O.Bolòs & Vigo) O.Bolòs & Vigo;
– Salvia rosmarinifolia G.Don;
– Salvia tenuior Desf.;
– Salvia tenuior Desf. ex Roem. & Schult..

Etymology –
The term Salvia is the name already used by Pliny for Salvia officinalis, from sálvo to save, to heal (connected with the Sanskrit sárvas intgro): for its officinal properties.
The specific epithet officinalis comes from a medieval laboratory workshop: as plants usable in pharmaceuticals, herbal medicine, liqueurs, perfumery and the like.
The name of the Lavandula subspecies comes from the genus Lavandula and from folia leaf for the leaves similar to those of the Lavandula.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Spanish sage is a plant native to southwestern Europe, especially Spain and southern France and present in northwestern Africa, Morocco and northern Algeria.
Its habitat is that of rocky soils, in the shrubs of the Mediterranean scrub, often cultivated with rosemary, Lavandula lanata and Genista cinerea.

Description –
Salvia officinalis subsp. Lavadulifolia is an evergreen herbaceous plant that can grow up to about 30cm in height and width with a lying habit.
The leaves are narrow evergreen, lanceolate, whitish-gray in color and less than 50 mm long. The leaves grow opposite each other on the stem and appear to grow in clusters. When the leaves are rubbed, the oils give off a fragrance similar to rosemary.
Lavender flowers are lilac in color, 25 mm long and grow on short inflorescences, blooming for about a month between late spring and early summer. Flowering stems have very few flowers on widely spaced spirals. Some varieties have a dark calyx.

Cultivation –
Salvia officinalis subsp. Lavadulifolia is an evergreen shrub that also grows in nature where it is harvested for local use as a food, medicine, and source of materials.
It is also grown for its small-scale essential oil in Spain, with most of the oil coming from wild sources. It is also grown in gardens for use as a herb and as an ornamental species.
This plant grows best in temperate climates with warm summers and mild winters with little winter rainfall. In such conditions it can withstand winter temperatures that drop to -10 ° C for short periods, perhaps even lower. If the summers are not hot or the winters are humid, they are much more likely to succumb to the winter cold.
It requires a light and well-drained soil in a sunny position.
Nitrogen-rich soils favor excessive leaf growth at the expense of flowering.
Propagation can occur by seed; sowing should be done from mid-spring to early summer.
Germination usually occurs within 2 weeks. If the seed is placed in a seedbed, the transplant must then be carried out in late spring – early summer. In areas where the plant is at the limit of its natural range it is best to grow the plants in a greenhouse for their first winter and plant them in the late spring of the following year.
The plant can be propagated by cuttings of semi-mature wood which succeeds almost in every moment of the growing season.

Customs and Traditions –
Salvia officinalis subsp. Lavadulifolia is a plant cultivated both for its essential oil in medicine and perfumery and as an ornamental and for food uses.
S. Lavendulifolia essential oil has been found to have a selective effect of acetylcholinesterase inhibition (as for the regions of the brain where acetylcholinesterase activity has been demonstrated, such areas are the striatum and hippocampus ) with an IC50 value of 0.03 mg / ml. The main reason for this activity is believed to be the monoterpenes 1,8-cineole and α-pinene which have IC50 values ​​of 0.67 and 0.63 mM, respectively.
Indeed, a 2003 study indicated that S. o. Lavadulifolia improves word recall in healthy young adults.
The aromatic leaves are used as an adulterant for common sage and are used as a substitute for sage in commercial food flavorings.
From the dried leaves a tea similar to sage is obtained.
The essential oil is used commercially to flavor ice cream, desserts, baked goods, chewing gum, soft drinks, etc.
In the medical field, the leaves are also used which are alterative, antiseptic, astringent, purifying, digestive, expectorant, febrifuge and tonic.
They are used internally in the treatment of digestive and respiratory disorders, menstrual problems, infertility, nervous tension and depression.
Its use should not be prescribed for pregnant women.

Preparation Method –
Of the Salvia officinalis subsp. Lavadulifolia uses both the leaves and the essential oil.
The leaves can be harvested as needed and used fresh, or they can be harvested before the flowers open and dried or distilled for their essential oil.
The essential oil obtained from the leaves is used in perfumery and to perfume soaps and cosmetics.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora of Italy, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy, Advice and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Editore.
Photo source:
– https://plant.depo.msu.ru/open/public/item/MW0746958/img/0.jpg?gbif

Warning: Pharmaceutical applications and alimurgical uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not represent in any way a medical prescription; therefore no responsibility is taken for their use for curative, aesthetic or food purposes.