Coleus paniculatus Benth.

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

Distribution

India, Sri Lanka, Thailand (new record) & Vietnam.

Ecology

On limestone rocks; 50 - 1200 m.

Morphology General Habit

Erect or ascending annual herbs up to 50 cm tall

Morphology Leaves

Leaves fleshy, orbicular, ovate or oblong, (15-)50 - 120 x (10-)40 - 75 mm, apex acute, base truncate, cordate, or shortly cuneate, margin crenate, glabrous or puberulous on both sides, with sessile glands beneath; petioles slender, 1 - 10 cm long, puberulous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens attached close together but not united, included in anterior corolla lip

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx campanulate, 2 - 3.5 mm long at anthesis, 4- 6 mm long in fruit; posterior lip ovate or ovate-oblong, acute or obtuse at apex, margin decurrent on tube, glabrous inside, pubescent with or without gland-tipped hairs with sessile glands outside; anterior lip with teeth lanceolate, subequal to posterior lip or median teeth slightly longer; tube 10- nerved, shortly pubescent with gland-tipped hairs and sessile glands outside, gibbous at anterior base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla purple or whitish-purple, 7 - 16 mm long; posterior lip pubescent with sessile glands on back, median lobes orbicular, large, lateral lobes triangular-ovate, acute-obtuse at apex, slightly shorter than median lobes; anterior lip ovate-oblong, 5- 8 mm long, concave, margin sometimes ciliate, pubescent inside and outside, sometimes frilled at apex; tube 6 - 9 mm long, sigmoid just below the middle, gradually dilated towards base, widely expanded at throat, pubescent with scattered sessile glands outside

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disc with anterior side very conspicuous, obtuse or truncate at apex, twice as long as ovary

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style obscurely cleft at apex, subequal to anterior stamens

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets black or brown, oblong or ellipsoid, 1 - 1.5 mm diameter, smooth, shining, not or slightly producing mucilage when wet.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence terminal, up to 30 cm long; axis puberulous or pubescent with or without sessile glands; verticils clearly interrupted; cymes 1.5 - 15 cm long, pedunculate, producing lax lateral cincinni, few- to many-flowered; bracts sessile, early-caducous, lanceolate, up to 7 mm long, acute or acuminate, pubescent; pedicels 2 - 4 mm long at anthesis, 3 - 7 mm long in fruit, puberulous with gland-tipped hairs

Morphology Stem

Stems sometimes branched, sometimes rooting at nodes below, succulent, round-quadrangular, glabrous or puberulous

Note

Coleus paniculatus Benth. appears to be the earliest name for this taxon but when transfered to Plectranthus, the epithet 'paniculatus' becomes unavailable due to the earlier Plectranthus paniculatus Jacq. (1800). Coleus glabratus Benth. and Coleus wightii Benth. have equal priority and were both available. The epithet 'glabratus' was taken up first by Alston who recognised this species under Plectranthus. The Vietnamese Plectranthus bernardii Doan (nom inval.) differs from Plectranthus glabratus only in its smaller leaves and shorter cymes; comparison with Thai and Indian material shows that there is no clear delimitation.

Phenology

Flowering & fruiting October -January.

Type

India, Madras, Wight s.n. [(holotype K! (Herb. Benthamianum) ].