Subfamily

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

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

VII. 3. E. Subtribe Plectranthinae Endlicher (1838).

Description

Herbs or shrubs, aromatic; leaves simple; inflorescence thyrsoid, often condensed, elongate or capitulate, with cymes sessile, usually 5-10-flowered, condensed; bracts caducous or persistent, sometimes coloured at apex or membranous; calyx tubular, ventrally gibbous, slightly compressed at throat, straight or curved slightly upwards, sometimes apically deflexed, strongly 2-lipped, 5-lobed (1/4), unequal, posterior lip oblong or lanceolate, not decurrent, deflexed at throat, sometimes curving upwards apically, anterior lip 4-lobed with lobes lanceolate, and a split between the median lobes, throat open or partially closed by the deflexed lips; corolla strongly 2-lipped, 5-lobed (4/1), blue or purplish, posterior lip ascending with median lobes exceeding lateral, anterior lip horizontal, cucullate; tube narrow, parallel-sided at base, curved or straight at the base, curved and dilating distally towards throat; stamens 4, fused at base, held over or within lower lip; stigma-lobes linear, often parallel; disc 4-lobed with anterior lobe much larger, exceeding ovaries; nutlets, ovoid, glabrous, flattened, mucilaginous. Five to six species in W and S Tropical Africa.

Distribution

Native to:

22 West Tropical Africa
23 West-Central Tropical Africa
25 East Tropical Africa
26 South Tropical Africa

Publication

Leocus A. Chev, J. Bot. (Morot), sér 2, 2: 125 (1909); Morton, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 58: 251 (1963). reg. rev.

Image resource

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