Lamiaceae

Leonotis (Pers.) R.Br.

First published in Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holland.: 504 (1810)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Africa, Indian Subcontinent.

Descriptions

Harley, R.M. et al. (2004). Labiatae, in The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants (K. Kubitzki, ed. in chief) VI: 167-275. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York.

Morphology General Habit
Tall herbs, shrubs or rarely small trees, with simple hairs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves simple, usually toothed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence thyrsoid, cymes many-flowered, rarely long-pedunculate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles
Bracteoles spiny
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers large (17-50 mm long)
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx ± zygomorphic to almost 2-lipped, 8-10-lobed, usually spinescent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla strongly 2-lipped, 4-lobed (1/3), posterior lip long, hooded, bearded and densely pubescent outside, with reddish, orange or cream hairs, anterior lip shorter than posterior, deflexed, soon withering
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens not or only shortly exserted from corolla, thecae weakly distinct
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Stigma-lobes strongly unequal, upper lobe minute or apparently absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlets oblong-trigonous, obliquely truncate and with sessile glands at apex.
Note
2n = 24, 26, 28.  About ten species. Apparently derived from within Leucas (Ryding 1998).
Ecology
Mostly hill slopes and rocky or disturbed ground
Distribution
Tropical and Southern Africa, L. nepetifolia (L.) R. Br. introduced as a weed elsewhere in the tropics.
[LKGF]

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. Leonotis, M Iwarsson & YB Harve. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2009

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herbs or shrubs to 8 m tall
Morphology Stem
Stems quadrangular, occasionally rounded at base, pubescent, nodes thicker than internodes, often with prominent leaf scars
Morphology Leaves
Leaves petiolate or occasionally sessile, margins crenate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of 1–5 verticils per shoot; verticils dense, spherical to ellipsoid, manyflowered; bracts leaf-like; bracteoles linear, mucronate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx tubular, 10-veined, 8–10-toothed; teeth triangular, mucronate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla tubular, 2-lipped, white or faintly pink, covered by red, orange, yellow, buff (or sometimes white) hairs; tube with 1–3 basal rings of hairs within; posterior corolla lip entire, slightly shorter than the tube, curved inwards at apex (hooded), with a fringe of long hairs within at the apex covering the anthers and stigma, occasionally coloured white; anterior lip 3-lobed, considerably shorter than the posterior lip, darker than the rest of the corolla, reflexed to patent, subglabrous, shrivelled or reflexed on corolla tube; median lobe occasionally longer than the outer lobes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 4, inserted at the mouth of the corolla, didynamous, the lower pair longer; thecae 2, divaricate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
Disk ventrally enlarged
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary deeply 4-lobed; style gynobasic, not bifid, anterior branch only developed, posterior branch minute or absent; dorsal stigma surface sessile
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlets dark or pale brown, obconic, 3-angled in transverse section, distally truncate, with sessile glands, otherwise glabrous.
Note
L. leonurus (L.) R. Br. (from South Africa) and L. nepetifolia are cultivated throughout the world. The shape and colour of the corolla is adapted to pollination by sunbirds.
[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herbs or shrubs to 8 m tall
Morphology Stem
Stems quadrangular, occasionally rounded at base, pubescent, nodes thicker than internodes, often with prominent leaf scars
Morphology Leaves
Leaves petiolate or occasionally sessile, margins crenate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of 1–5 verticils per shoot, verticils dense, spherical to ellipsoid, many-flowered; bract leaf-like, bracteoles linear, mucronate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx tubular, 10-nerved, 8–10-toothed, teeth triangular, mucronate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla tubular, 2-lipped, white or faintly pink, covered by red, orange, yellow, buff (sometimes white) hairs, tube with 1–3 basal rings of hairs within; upper corolla lip entire, slightly shorter than tube, curved inwards at apex (hooded), fringe of long hairs at apex within covering anther and stigma, occasionally coloured white; lower lip 3-lobed, considerably shorter than upper lip, darker than rest of corolla, reflexed to spreading, subglabrous; median lobe occasionally longer than outer lobes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 4, inserted at corolla mouth, didynamous, the lower pair longer; thecae 2, divaricate
Disc
Disk ventrally enlarged
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style (partially) bifid, dorsal stigma surface sessile
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlets obconic, 3-angled in transverse section, distally truncate, with sessile glands, otherwise glabrous, dark or pale brown.
Distribution
Nine species in Africa, one of which, Leonotis nepetifolia, is a pantropical weed. L. leonurus (L.) R. Br. from South Africa and L. nepetifolia are cultivated worldwide.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Lamiaceae Key Genus Fact Sheets

    • Nina Davies, Gemma Bramley and Don Kirkup, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0