Coleus neochilus (Schltr.) Codd

J. R. Timberlake, E. S. Martins (2013). Flora Zambesiaca, Vol 8: part 8. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Type

Type: South Africa, Mpumalanga, Rimero Creek near Baberton, 1890, Galpin 968 (K holotype, BOL, GRA, NH).

Morphology General Habit

Annual or perennial succulent herb 0.3–0.6 m tall, arising from a fibrous root system; aromatic- Stems erect, ascending or decumbent, quadrangular, arising from a tap root, sparsely branched, villose with long spreading glandular and eglandular hairs and red sessile glands, becoming viscid with noticeably shorter glandular or eglandular hairs on inflorescence axis

Morphology Leaves

Leaves somewhat fleshy, spreading, usually petiolate; blade 15–80 × 10–30 mm, obovate or elliptic, crenate to serrate, weakly revolute, apex acute, obtuse to rounded, base attenuate, pubescent, with red sessile glands; petiole (0)5–25 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence fairly lax with strictly 6-flowered verticils ± 10 mm apart in fruit, with opposite sessile 3-flowered cymes; bract green, marked purplish, erect above forming a conspicuous terminal coma, ovate, apiculate, cucullate, enclosing young buds, soon deciduous; pedicel 3 mm long, erect, strongly flattened, distally curved

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 3–5 mm long, pubescent, with red and pale sessile glands; fruiting calyx 4–7 mm long, shortly tubular, pedicel attached eccentrically behind posterior lip; throat truncate, densely villose; posterior lip ovate, apiculate, curved upward, decurrent; anterior lip 4-lobed with lobes lanceolate, median slightly longer

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla blue or purple, 11–20 mm long, with scattered hairs and red sessile glands on lobes; tube 6–10 mm long, sigmoid or shallowly so; posterior lip much shorter than anterior; anterior lip 5–11 mm long, horizontal, cucullate, partially enclosing stamens

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments

Staminal filaments fused

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets dark brown, smooth, with dark dots, 1 mm long, broadly ovate, flattened; producing dotted mucilage when wet.

Distribution

Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique.; Also in Namibia, Swaziland and South Africa.

Ecology

Rocky places in woodland or grassland; 600–1600 m.

Conservation

Widespread; Least Concern.

Recognition

The majority of material referred to by Codd (1985) is Plectranthus neochilus rather than P. pentheri which is found in Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and W Zimbabwe. Both species are illustrated in van Jaarsveld, Southern African Plectranthus (2006).