Perennial herbs or subshrubs, often aromatic, with an indumentum of simple hairs. Leaves undivided, often fleshy, crenate to serrate, petiolate. Flowers in cymes, paniculate or On ours) spike-like, violet or bluish. Calyx bilabiate, campanulate, teeth markedly unequal; upper lip of 1 broadly ovate lobe; lower lip of 4 acuminate teeth; tube annulate within; calyx enlarging and often deflexed in fruit. Corolla bilabiate; upper lip short 4-lobed; lower lip entire, cucullate longer than upper; tube exserted from calyx usually curved and swollen above. Stamens 4, declinate, didynamous; filaments On ours) united into a basal sheath, glabrous or not; thecae unilocular by fusion. Style subequally bifid at apex. Nutlets ovoid to oblong, mucilaginous on wetting or not.

A large genus with close affinities to Isodon, q.v. The problems of generic delimitations around Plectranthus in the very wide sense can only be resolved by a global review which includes the very numerous Asian and Afri-can species.

Some species are cultivated as ornamentals; others for their tuberous roots.

Lower Taxon

• Plectranthus barbatus Andrews

Related Synonym(s):

• Coleus barbatus (Andrews) Benth. = Plectranthus barbatus Andrews
• Coleus forskohlei auctt. non Vahl; Briquet = Plectranthus barbatus Andrews