| Home | > | List of families | > | Lamiaceae | > | Plectranthus | > | porphyranthus |
| Synonyms: | |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | Local |
| Status: | |
| Description: |
Perennial semi-succulent aromatic herb. Stems procumbent to somewhat scrambling, quadrangular, densely hairy. Leaves softly fleshy, opposite, ovate to triangular-ovate, up to 5.5 × 3.5 cm, shortly hairy above and densely woolly beneath; margin rolled under in young leaves, less so with age, coarsely dentate with 3-6 pairs of triangular teeth; petiole (1-4 cm long, densely hairy. Inflorescence terminal, 10-40 cm long, often with 2 basal branches; verticils usually 10-flowered, 1-3 cm apart; bracts very broadly ovate, 2-6 mm long. Calyx 3 mm long enlarging to 6 mm in fruit, purple-tinged; upper lip broadly ovate; lower lip 4-toothed. Corolla 2-lipped, intense violet with pale markings on the throat and upper lobes; tube c. 5 mm, markedly deflexed, sparingly hairy; upper lip 2-lobed, erect; lower lip boat-shaped, 3-4.5 mm long. |
| Notes: | This species differs in lacking the sessile, orange or reddish glands which occur on the calyx, lower leaf and bract surfaces of closely related species (sect. Coleoides) in the region. |
| Derivation of specific name: | |
| Habitat: | In shallow soil pockets and crevices on granite whalebacks. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | |
| Flowering time: | Dec - Mar |
| Worldwide distribution: | Southern Zimbabwe. |
| Zimbabwe distribution: | W,S |
| Growth form: | |
| Endemic status: | Endemic |
| Red data list status: | Lower Risk - least concern |
| Insects (whose larvae eat this species): | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Edwards, T.J., Paton, A. & Crouch, N.R. (2000). A new species of Plectranthus (Lamiaceae) from Zimbabwe Kew Bulletin 55(2) Pages 459 - 464. (Includes a picture). Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 14. SABONET. Pretoria. Page 174. Mapaura, A & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 56. Mapaura, A. (2002). Endemic Plant Species of Zimbabwe. Kirkia 18(1) Page 143. |
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