Photo: Picton, H.

Photo: Picton, H.

Subfamily

VII. Subfam. Nepetoideae (Dumort.) Luerss. (1882).

VII. 3. Tribe Ocimeae Dumort. (1829).

VII. 3. D. Subtribe Ociminae (Dumort.) Schmidt in Martius (1858).

Subtribe Moschominae Endlicher (1838).

Description

Shrubs or herbs, sometimes geoxylic, not or faintly aromatic; leaves simple, opposite, more rarely ternate or quadrate, regularly spaced and also sometimes in rosettes either at ground level or at apex of a short woody trunk; inflorescence thyrsoid, much condensed, forming solitary or paniculately arranged heads with cymes sessile, 3-flowered; bracts persistent, often basally coloured; calyx dorso-ventrally flattened, curving upwards, 2-lipped, 2- to 5-lobed (1-3/1-2), posterior lip entire with rounded or acute apex, 3-angled or 3-toothed, hooded or flat, anterior lip entire and rounded or truncate, emarginate or 2-toothed, lips connivent in fruit; corolla 2-lipped, usually 5-lobed (4/1), white, pink or blue, posterior lip ascending, (3-)4-lobed, median lobes usually exceeding the lateral lobes, anterior lip horizontal, entire, slightly concave, tube straight, dorsally gibbous at midpoint, dilating towards throat; stamens 4, declinate, exserted, posterior pair attached near midpoint of corolla, basally pubescent and swollen, anterior attached at corolla throat; stigma lobes equal, linear; disc 4-lobed with anterior lobe larger; nutlets ovoid, minutely striate, weakly mucilaginous when wet.  2n = 28, 56.  Thirty-five species in tropical Africa, grassland, open woodland, some species on mineral rich soil, others in wet areas.

Distribution

Native to:

Publication

Species found in RBG Kew living collections

1995-1195 Haumaniastrum robertii N MAUN   JOD SEED T3

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