Leonotis ocymifolia (Burm.f.) Iwarsson

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

Type

Type: South Africa, Cape of Good Hope, Herb. Burmann s.n. (G, holo.)

Morphology General Habit

Woody, lanky shrub 0.6–5 m high, sparsely branched from a woody swollen rootstock 20–150 mm diameter, shoots up to 10 cm in diameter and appearing rounded in section at base

Morphology Stem

Stems with internodes 2–11 cm long, greyish buff to brownish buff, occasionally smooth and shiny, with velutinous pubescence of antrorse or occasionally retrorse hairs and sessile glands; prominent leaf scars occasionally with a marginal rim; nodes prominent with a transverse line connecting the leaf scars, more densely pubescent than internodes

Morphology Leaves

Leaves usually petiolate; blade ovate to narrowly obovate, lanceolate to narrowly spathulate, 0.9–19(–23) × 0.3–9 cm, crenate almost to base with 7–65 teeth, apex acute to acuminate, base cordate, truncate to attenuate, both surfaces laxly pubescent to velutinous with short, white to yellow hairs and sessile glands, with (4–)10–16 lateral veins per leaf, venation covered with slightly longer hairs, occasionally appressed; petiole 0–55(–110 in South Africa) mm long, velutinous with (occasionally yellowish), antrorse or retrorse hairs, eglandular or with sessile glands

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of 1–5 verticils per branch, usually spaced by prolonged internodes (10–)45–325 mm long; bracts leaf-like, (4–)17–85(–130) × 2–25(–85) mm, hairy like the leaves; bracteoles linear, 6–22 × 0.3–2.5 mm, covered with short hairs and occasionally with sessile glands, apiculate; verticils hemispherical, 28–67(–90) mm in diameter, with (8–)12–18 branches (1.5–)5–20 mm long, with 5–19 buds per branch; pedicels 0.5–5(–7) mm long, covered with short hairs and occasionally sessile glands

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 14–31 mm long at anthesis, slightly enlarged in fruit, 4–5.5 mm in diameter at mouth, 8(–11)-toothed, sometimes teeth obsolete (South Africa), green, densely covered with short white (occasionally orange) hairs, eglandular or occasionally with sessile glands; mouth occasionally oblique with the 3–5 lower teeth partially united and bent outwards to form an anterior lip; dorsal tooth 2–14 mm long, lateral and ventral teeth 0.5–5.5 mm long, straight to slightly recurved, narrowly triangular, apiculate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 24–45 mm long, with white, buff, pale salmon-pink, orange or orange-red hairs (although predominantly orange or cream-buff); tube 15–25 mm long, with 1 (very rarely 2) diffuse fringes within (near base), with two slightly higher markings; posterior lip 12.5–22 mm long, with white woolly hair enclosing anthers and stigma well developed; anterior lip 3-lobed, (4–)6–10 mm long, the median lobe retuse, subglabrous, eglandular or with sessile glands, lobes shrivelled and twisted

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets blackish brown, glossy, 2.4–4.3 × 1.2–2.1 mm.