INTRASPECIFIC VARIABILITY OF SAGE (SALVIA OFFICINALIS L.)

Common sage (Salvia officinalis L., Lamiaceae family) is a perennial evergreen subshrub native to the Mediterranean. Leaves collected from this plant are used as an important medicinal raw material with antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, cholagogue and tonic activity. The aim of the research was to evaluate the intraspecific variability of sage with special respect to seed setting and germination. The obtained seeds mass fluctuated from 17.0 to 25.5 g per plant. From a single flower 3 seeds were obtained, on average. A clear relationship between the position of seeds in inflorescence and their germinability was observed. The germinability of seeds obtained from upper whorls fluctuated from 92 to 98% whereas germinability of seeds from the lowest one was 70%. There were no distinct differences between plants in the 1000-grain weight. The mass of 1000 grains ranged from 6.090 to 6.161 g.