The genus Phlomis L. belongs to the Lamiaceae family and encompasses 100 species native to Turkey,North Africa, Europe and Asia. All parts of the Phlomis plants are used including the leaves (Phlomis aspera, Phlomis cephalotes . . .), the flowers (Phlomis aspera, Phlomis rotata . . .), the seeds (Phlomis cephalotes) and the roots (Phlomis nepetaefolia). They are used as a decoction, an infusion or as a juice. The flowers of some Phlomis species are sweet and are consumed directly or sucked (Phlomis purpurea subsp. purpurea, Phlomis cephalotes). The leaves of Phlomis cephalotes are used to prepare an herb-pot.
==Health Benefits and Uses of Phlomis==
* a high number of Phlomis species over the world have the same mode of use, namely as herbal tea (decoctionor infusion) to treat gastric, abdominal and intestinal conditions (Phlomis bourgei . . .).
* Some Phlomis species were described to treat fever, cough and cold, such as Phlomis cephalotes and Phlomis plukenettii.
* Other Phlomis species such as Phlomis bovei subsp. bovei and Phlomis crinita are made into pastes and used as poultice or plaster to treat burns, lesions and skin infections and allergies. For example, Phlomis crinita subsp. crinita and subsp. mauritanica, which grow in Spain and in Tunisia and Algeria, are used to heal lesions and burns by preparing a plaster from chopped leaves in Spain or as dried leaf powder in Tunisia and Algeria.
* However, the same species may have variable uses from one country to another: i.e., Phlomis fruticosa is used in Italy as an anticoughagent and as a cicatrizant, whereas in Turkey and Greece, it is used to heal gastric ulcers.
* Phlomis syriaca : the Syrian multi-component herbal tea called “Zahraa” is a complexmixture of leaves and/or flowers from 6 to 14 species, including Phlomis syriaca. Usually, these teas are consumed in households and in restaurants and cafes in Damascus (Carmona et al., 2005).
* Phlomis purpurea, also known as marioilas in Portugal has over 17 different medicinal uses in that country. It is directly ingested to treat gastric pains, and its olive oil decoction is used as an intestinal antispasmodic (Novais et al., 2004). In Spain, this plant is called “matagallos,” and its aerial infusion is frequently used to treat prostate and liver problems (González-Tejero et al., 1995).