Medicinal and aromatic plants – industrial profiles

2
The taxonomy of the genus 
Lavandula 
L.
Tim Upson
Introduction
In the introduction to the 
Natural History of the Lavenders
published in 1826 the author, Baron
Gingins de la Sarraz, wrote ‘
continuing progress in the understanding of natural history would seem 
to require also a constant revision of families and genera most familiar to us
’. While much progress has
been made in our understanding of the genus 
Lavandula
his sentiments are still true today. The
genus is currently subject to ongoing research into its taxonomy and systematics being under-
taken by the author and colleagues at the University of Cambridge, University of Reading and
the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. This treatment thus represents a provisional rather than 
a definitive account on the taxonomy of the genus. While some aspects of the research is nearing
completion there are still some problematic areas where existing treatments may not be 
adequate and our understanding of the taxonomy is incomplete and these are indicated and 
discussed where appropriate.
This treatment recognises thirty-two species of 
Lavandula
which have been described in the
literature plus a number of infraspecific taxa and hybrids, although the number of species is
likely to be higher once all the revisionary work has been completed. The genus has a distribution
stretching from the Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands and Madeira, across the Mediterranean
Basin, North Africa, South West Asia, the Arabian Peninsula and tropical NE Africa with 
a disjunction to India.
Some species have been widely cultivated since ancient times and are familiar garden plants
and hence there are many legends and folklore associated with these plants. The essential oils,
principally harvested from 
L. x intermedia
and 
L. angustifolia
, are of economic importance in the
perfumery and fragrance industry, some are widely used in aromatherapy and are known to have
antiseptic and antifungal qualities. A number of species and their hybrids are horticulturally
desirable and are cultivated in both northern and southern hemispheres. The Latin name
Lavandula
comes from the ancient use of this plant to perfume water for bathing, being derived
from the Latin word 
lavare, 
meaning to be washed.