Coleus amboinicus Lour.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

guiso, orégano, orégano orejón, poleo orejón

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

Type

Types: Rumphius plate in Herb. Amb. 5, t. 102/2 (1750) (lectotype illustration!, chosen by Cramer, loc. cit. (1978)) epitype, chosen by Suddee & Paton in K.B. 59 (2004) (1968): Thailand, Pai District: Mae Hong Son, 25 May 1921, Kerr s.n. (BM!, epitype)

Morphology General Habit

Aromatic succulent perennial herb, 0.3–0.5 m tall, to 1.5 m if scandent

Morphology Stem

Stems rounded-quadrangular below, quadrangular above, sometimes purplish above, decumbent to scandent, succulent, somewhat brittle, pubescent with patent and retrorse, glandular and eglandular hairs and pale sessile glands, becoming moreglandular on the inflorescence axis

Morphology Leaves

Leaves spreading, succulent, petiolate; blades ovate, (1–)2–5.5 × 1.5–3.5 cm, crenate, weakly revolute, apex obtuse to rounded, base attenuate or truncate to cordate and attenuate at petiole, pubescent to tomentose, with pale sessile glands; petiole 2–13 mm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence terminal, lax with ± 10–20flowered verticils up to 20(–30) mm apart with each bract subtending a 5–10flowered sessile cyme; bracts ovate, apiculate, 3–5 mm long, erect above forming an inconspicuous apical coma, deciduous by fruiting stage, pubescent on margins and abaxial surface, glabrous or much less densely hairy on adaxial surface; pedicels 1–2(–4) mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 3 mm long, pubescent to villose with patent glandular and eglandular hairs and with pale sessile glands; fruiting calyx 4–6 mm long, straight, short with pedicel centrally to calyx base; throat truncate; posterior lip oblong, hooded, horizontal, not decurrent; lobes of anterior lip equal, lanceolate, subulate at apex

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla pinkish white or pale violet, 4–9(–15) mm long, densely pubescent, with pale sessile glands, particularly on lobes; tube 3–6 mm long, sigmoid; posterior lip shorter than anterior, anterior lip 3–5 (5–10) mm long, horizontal, shallowly cucullate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Staminal filaments fused, exceeding the anterior lip

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets brown shiny with reddish dots, broadly ovoid, flattened, 1 mm long, producing lots of mucilage speckled on outer surface.

Ecology

Acacia and Commiphora bushland, wooded grassland, often in dry rocky places; 30–1400 m

Conservation

Least concern; widely distributed

Note

Plectranthus sp. A sensu U.K.W.F.: 635 (1974)Typical plants have pedicels around 2 mm long and corollas to 9 mm long. Some populations from the Taita Hills have pedicels 3–4 mm long and corollas to 15 mm long. Longer pedicels are also seen in specimens from T 6 and Angola, but the corolla in these cases is less than 9 mm long. These differences represent extremes in the continuous variation of these characters. Some Taita Hill populations produce lateral or terminal rosettes of leaves with mucronate leaf apices. Further work is necessary to clarify taxon circumscription within this complex.

Distribution

Range: Angola, Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa, widely cultivated in Old and New World tropics Flora districts: K2 K3 K4 K6 K7 T2 T3 T6 Z

Suddee, S., A. J. Paton, & Parnell, J. (2004). A Taxonomic Revision of Tribe Ocimeae Dumort. (Lamiaceae) in Continental South East Asia II. Plectranthinae. Kew Bulletin, 59(3), 379-414. doi:10.2307/4110950

Type

Rumphius Ic. in Herb. Amb. 5: t. 102, f 2 (1750) (lectotype illustration!, chosen by Cramer 1978); Epitype: Thailand, Mae Hong Son, Pai Distr., 25 May 1921, Kerr s.n. (BM!, epitype chosen by Launert 1968).

Morphology General Habit

Erect or ascending perennial herbs up to 1 m tall, strongly aromatic. Stems branched, round or round- quadrangular, hollow when old, glabrescent below, pubescent to villous above, with simple and gland- tipped hairs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves fleshy, orbicular or broadly ovate, 35 - 50 x 25 - 55 mm, apex rounded or obtuse, base round or truncate, margin crenate, hirsute above, pubescent to tomentose beneath, veins conspicuous beneath; petioles 5-25 mm long, pubescent to villous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence terminal, simple, up to 30 cm long; axis pubescent to villous; verticils 5 - 20 mm apart; cymes sessile, dense, glomerulate, several-flowered; bracts sessile, caducous, ovate or lanceolate, up to 7 x 5 mm, acuminate, shortly ciliate, pubescent; pedicels 1 - 3 mm long at anthesis, 1.5 - 7 mm long in fruit, pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx campanulate, 2 - 3 mm long at anthesis, 4- 6 mm long in fruit; posterior lip oblong, twice as long as anterior lip, acute at apex, margin ciliate, not decurrent on tube, hirsute on both sides; anterior lip with teeth minute, acuminate, subequal in length, hirsute; tube 10-nerved, densely hirsute outside, gibbous at anterior base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla purple, 8 - 12 mm long; posterior lip densely pubescent on back, median lobes rounded at apex, much larger than the acute-obtuse lateral lobes; anterior lip ovate-oblong, 5 - 6 mm long, glabrous inside, subvillous outside; tube 4- 5 mm long, sigmoid below the middle, slightly dilated at base, widely expanded at throat, densely pubescent with sessile glands outside

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens united to half their length, long-exserted from anterior corolla lip

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style bifid with equal slender branches, subequal to anterior stamens

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disc with anterior side obtuse or truncate at apex, not exceeding ovary

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets brown, globose or ovoid, c. 1 mm long, minutely tuberculate or smooth and shining, producing mucilage when wet.

Ecology

Cultivated, sometimes naturalised; sea level up to 1500 m.

Phenology

Flowering & fruiting May - December.

Distribution

Possibly native to India (Keng 1978). Widely cultivated in the tropics.

Vernacular

Cambodian: Chi Tra, Sak Dam Ray. Thai: Hawm Duan Luang, Bai Hu Soea, Niam Hu Soea. Vietnamese: Rau Thom Lun, Rau Cang.

The Useful Plants of Boyacá project

Ecology

Alt. 0 - 1700 m.

Distribution

Cultivated and naturalised in Colombia.

Morphology General Habit

Herb or subshrub.

Conservation

Not Evaluated.

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Cultivada y naturalizada en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 1700 m.; Andes, Islas Caribeñas, Llanura del Caribe, Pacífico, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Valle del Cauca, Valle del Magdalena.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba, subarbusto

Distribution

Found in Boyacá, Colombia.

Use

The fresh leaves are used in beef salad in Thailand. This species is commonly cultivated in South East Asia but rarely produces flowers there.

Use Medicines Unspecified Medicinal Disorders

Medicinal (State of the World's Plants 2016).