Horehound- a weed (*Marrubium vulgare)

Family: Lamiaceae (Mint family).

Native of the Mediterranean region.

Occurrence: A widespread weed of farmland, roadsides and bushland. It is most common on disturbed sites.

Identification:

• the stems are four-sided and covered with white hairs
• the leaves are in pairs
• the leaves have a crinkled surface and are densely hairy below
• the flowers are white and grow in clusters around the stem
• the fruit develops into a burr with hooked spines.

Horehound is a noxious weed and is Regionally Controlled in central Victoria. The hooked hairs of the fruit help disperse the seeds.

Photos 1: Horehound, showing leaves and flowers. Garden weed. Castlemaine.
2: The plants have numerous, almost erect stems. Wedderburn. 3: The flowers are in rings around the stems. Maldon
.