Phlomoides includes a few plants previously known as Phlomis, particularly the sage-leaf mullein, P. tuberosa and forms. This new genus is found through Eastern Europe and most of Asia, whereas Phlomis is more Southern Europe, North Africa into Western Asia.
Bilaterally symmetrical flowers restrict the range of pollinators to bees, especially bumblebeees, the size of which reflects the size of the flowers in each species. In the autumn, the whorled seed-heads are attractive in their own right, and contain seeds that are food for finches such as goldfinches and siskins. The seed-heads also provide shelter for beneficial predators such as ladybirds, as well as smaller insects and spiders that may be gleaned by wrens. The leaves often have a couple of leafhopper species living on them; again attractive in their own right, these suckers cause little in the way of discernable damage to the foliage, and also provide titbits for tits.