Leonurus Explained

Leonurus (motherwort) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. It is native to Europe and Asia, naturalized in New Zealand, Hawaii, New Caledonia, and much of North and South America.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Leonurus japonicus is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Species are sometimes confused with the related genus Leonotis.

Species^[1]

• Leonurus cardiaca L. - much of northern + central Europe east to Western Siberia + Iran
• Leonurus chaituroides C.Y.Wu & H.W.Li - southeastern China (Anhui, Hubei, Hunan)
• Leonurus deminutus V.I.Krecz. - Siberia, Mongolia, Inner Mongolia
• Leonurus glaucescens Bunge - Turkey, Caucasus, Ukraine, European Russia, western Siberia (Altai and Western Siberia), Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Inner Mongolia
• Leonurus incanus V.I.Krecz. & Kuprian. - Kazakhstan
• Leonurus japonicus Houtt. - Japan, Korea, Amur, Primorye, much of China (incl Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang), Himalayas, Southeast Asia, Queensland; naturalized in North + South America, West Indies, Hawaii, Cape Verde, etc.
• Leonurus kuprijanoviae Krestovsk. - Pakistan
• Leonurus macranthus Maxim. - Japan, Primorye, Manchuria
• Leonurus mongolicus V.I.Krecz. & Kuprian. - Mongolia, parts of Siberia (Tuva + Chita)
• Leonurus nuristanicus Murata - Afghanistan
• Leonurus oblongifolius Popov - Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan
• Leonurus persicus Boiss. - Turkey, Iran, Caucasus
• Leonurus pseudomacranthus Kitag. - Japan, Amur, Primorye, eastern China
• Leonurus pseudopanzerioides Krestovsk. - Mongolia, Xinjiang
• Leonurus pubescens Benth. - Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, western Himalayas
• Leonurus quinquelobatus Gilib. - Turkey, Iran, Caucasus, Crimea; naturalized in Germany, Belgium, Irkutsk
• Leonurus royleanus Benth. - western Himalayas
• Leonurus sibiricus L. - Mongolia, Siberia (Altai, Chita), China (Hebei, Nei Mongol, Shaanxi, Shanxi)
• Leonurus tataricus L. - Siberia (Altai, Tuva, Western Siberia, Irkutsk)
• Leonurus tibeticus Krestovsk. - Tibet
• Leonurus turkestanicus V.I.Krecz. & Kuprian. - western Himalayas, Tibet, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran
• Leonurus urticifolius C.Y.Wu & H.W.Li - Tibet
• Leonurus villosissimus C.Y.Wu & H.W.Li - China (Hebei)
• Leonurus wutaishanicus C.Y.Wu & H.W.Li - China (Shanxi)

Notes and References

1. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=109490 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
2. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=117993 Flora of China Vol. 17 Page 162 益母草属 yi mu cao shu Leonurus Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 584. 1753.
3. http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/gen.php?genere=Leonurus Altervista Flora Italiana, Genere Leonurus
4. http://bonap.net/NAPA/TaxonMaps/Genus/County/Leonurus Biota of North America Program 2013 county distribution maps