Equilabium laxiflorum (Benth.) Mwany., A.J.Paton & Culham

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

Type

Type: South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, between Umzimkulu and Umkomaas rivers, 1836, Drège 3586 (K lectotype), lectotypified by Codd (1975)

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb with stem scandent to 4 m; aromatic- Stems ascending or erect, quadrangular, sometimes described as viscid, often swollen below nodes, branching above, becoming woody and rooting at nodes below, pubescent to villose with retrorse and often spreading hairs, becoming glandular on inflorescence axis, with red sessile glands; hairs occasionally reddish

Morphology Leaves

Leaves spreading to ascending, petiolate; blade 30–100(150) × 20–90(120), cordate to triangular, crenate or irregularly dentate, revolute or weakly so, apex acute to apiculate, base cordate to truncate, pubescent or sparsely so, sometimes tomentose beneath, with red sessile glands; petiole (6)10–120 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence terminal with few branch, fairly lax with 6(10)-flowered verticils up to 20 mm apart, bract subtending 3(5)-flowered peduncluate cymes; bract with lowermost sometimes leaf-like, mostly entire or few-toothed, much smaller than leaf, 3–10 mm long, ovate, persistent; peduncle (0)4–15(18) mm long, rarely absent in some cymes; pedicel 3–6 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2–3 mm long, pubescent, with red sessile glands; fruiting calyx 4–6(7) mm long, shortly tubular-campanulate, pedicel attached ± centrally at base of calyx; throat truncate; posterior lip lanceolate to elliptic, similar to lobes of anterior lip but slightly broader and longer; not decurrent or appearing shortly decurrent due to thickened vein, slightly curved upwards, acute at apex; lateral and median lobes of anterior lip lanceolate, median slightly longer and narrower

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla usually white or pale mauve with darker markings, sometimes blue, with scattered hairs and red sessile glands on lobes and tube, 10–18 mm long; tube 6–9 mm long, sigmoid or deeply so; posterior lip erect, equal to anterior; anterior lip 5–10 mm long, horizontal or ascending, cucullate, enclosing stamens, sparsely pubescent within, frilled at apex or not

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments

Staminal filaments free

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets pale brown with conspicuous or inconspicuous darker reddish raised areas, 1.5–2 mm long, broadly ovate; producing no mucilage or only a small amount.

Distribution

Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique. Also in Congo (Kivu), Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.

Ecology

On forest margins or in clearings; 900–2000 m.

Conservation

Widespread; Least Concern.

Note

Plant is said to be strongly lemon-scented.

Lamiaceae (Labiatae), A.J. Paton, G. Bramley, O. Ryding, R.M. Polhill, Y.B. Harvey, M. Iwarsson, F. Willis, P.B. Phillipson, K. Balkwill, C.W. Lukhoba, D.F. Otieno, & R.M. Harley. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2009

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets pale brown with conspicuous or inconspicuous darker, reddish raised areas, broadly ovoid, 1.5–2 mm long, producing no or a small amount of mucilage

Figures

Fig 39: 13, p 238 & 42: 3, p 255

Ecology

Forest margins or clearings, bamboo zone; 1600–2900 m

Conservation

Least concern; widely distributed

Note

Ethiopian populations of P. laxiflorus have longer calyces ((6–)7–10 mm), which are more strongly tubular in shape. Codd, loc. cit. (1975) lists P. hylophilus and P. urticoides as synonyms. However these are treated as synonms of P. glandulosus here.

Type

Lectotype, chosen by Codd (1975): South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, between Umzimkulu and Umkomaas Rivers, Drège 3586 (K!, lecto.)

Morphology General Habit

Aromatic perennial herb with stems scandent to 4 m

Morphology Stem

Stems ascending or erect, quadrangular, sometimes described as viscid, often swollen below nodes, branching above, becoming woody and rooting at nodes below, pubescent to villose with retrorse and often patent hairs becoming glandular on the inflorescence axis and also with red sessile glands; hairs occasionally reddish

Morphology Leaves

Leaves spreading to ascending, petiolate; blades cordate to triangular, 3–10(–15) × 2–9(–12) cm, crenate or irregularly dentate, revolute or weakly so, apex acute to apiculate, base cordate to truncate, pubescent or sparsely so, sometimes tomentose beneath, with red sessile glands; petiole (6–)10–120 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence terminal with few branches, fairly lax, with 6(–10)-flowered verticils up to 20 mm apart, with bracts subtending 3- or more rarely 5-flowered pedunculate cymes; bracts with lowermost sometimes leaflike, but mostly entire or few-toothed and much smaller than leaves, ovate, 3–10 mm long, persistent; peduncles (0–)4–15(–18) mm long, rarely absent in some cymes; pedicels 3–6 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2–3 mm long, pubescent, with red sessile glands; fruiting calyx 4–6(–7) mm long, shortly tubular-campanulate with pedicel attached ± centrally at base of calyx; throat truncate; posterior lip lanceolate, similar to lobes of the anterior lip but slightly broader and longer; not decurrent or sometimes appearing shortly decurrent due to thickened vein, slightly curving upwards, acute at apex; lateral and median lobes of anterior lip lanceolate with the median slightly longer and narrower

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla usually white or pale mauve with darker markings, sometimes reported as blue, with scattered hairs and red sessile glands on lobes and tube, 10–18 mm long; tube 6–9 mm long, sigmoid; posterior lip erect, equal to anterior; anterior lip 5–10 mm long, horizontal or ascending, cucullate, enclosing stamens, sparsely pubescent within, frilled at apex or not

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Staminal filaments free

Distribution

Range: Congo-Kinshasa (Kivu), Rwanda, Ethiopia, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa Flora districts: U2 K3 K4 T2 T3 T6 T7 T8