Clinopodium gracile ("Tobana")

Japanese name: トウバナ （塔花）
Scientific name: Clinopodium gracile

[Overview]
A perennial 10–30 cm tall, found in slightly moist places such as roadsides.
The base of the stem creeps slightly along the ground, and the stem is square in cross section.
Leaves are simple and opposite, ovate, 1–3 cm long and 0.8–2 cm wide, with toothed margins.
The leaf stalk is 0.5–1 cm.
A whorled cyme at the stem tip bears small pale reddish-purple lipped flowers.
The fruit is a schizocarp.

[Notes]
The Japanese name likens the flower spike to a tower.

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