Plants herbs or shrubs. Inflorescences thyrsel-like, the vertcillasters from densely packed to well-spaced; bracts usually distinct from the leaves; cymes with 1-many flowers; bracteoles present or absent. Calyces distinctly 2-lipped, lower lips 2-lobed, upper lips 3-lobed or divided or entire; corollas 2-lipped; lower lips straight or deflexed to recurved, 3-lobed, the middle lobe widest; upper lips hooded, straight, or falcate; stamens 2 or 4, anterior (lower) or only pair of stamens with distinctly elongated connectives, often cohering by the distal portion of the connectives, posterior (upper) stamens sterile, very short or absent; anthers (of fertile stamens) with upper (outer) theca always large and fertile, lower (inner) theca smaller, fertile or steril, often replaced by a hatchet-shaped structure; styles branches all equally long or the lower branches longer. Nutlets obovoid or broadly tonarrowly ellipsoid, smooth.
Salvia, as interpreted here, includes about 900 species and is widely distributed in tropical and temperate regions of the world. Ongoing research suggests that it is not monophyletic but it is not year clear how it should be broken up or whether it should be further expanded to make it monophyletic is not yet clear.
Note: GBIF records include introduced and cultivated plants. Consequently, the distribution shown often differs from statements about a taxon's native distribution.