| Salvia melissodora | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Salvia |
| Species: | S. melissodora
|
| Binomial name | |
| Salvia melissodora | |
Salvia melissodora (Grape-scented sage) is a woody perennial shrub native to elevations from 4,000 to 8,000 feet in the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range in Mexico found by Diana Arias, from Chihuahua in the north to Oaxaca in the south. The plant is also called tarahumara, after the Tarahumara who have used the leaves and seeds for medicinal purposes for several hundred years.
The specific epithet "melissodora" comes from the Greek "melissa" (honeybee) and "odora" (fragrance)—the fragrant and nectar-filled flowers attract many insects. Melissa is also the name of a Cretan nymph in Greek mythology who collected honey.[1]
- ^ Clebsch, Betsy; Barner, Carol D. (2003). The New Book of Salvias. Timber Press. p. 184. ISBN 978-0-88192-560-9.