Plectranthus is a genus of about 85 species of flowering plants from the sage family, Lamiaceae, found mostly in southern and tropical Africa and Madagascar. Common names include spur-flower. Plectranthus species are herbaceous perennial plants, rarely annuals or soft-wooded shrubs, sometimes succulent; sometimes with a tuberous base.[2]

Plectranthus
Plectranthus fruticosus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Subfamily: Nepetoideae
Tribe: Ocimeae
Genus: Plectranthus
L'Hér.[1]
Species

Many, see text

Synonyms[1]

Ascocarydion G.Taylor
Burnatastrum Briq.
Capitanya Gürke
Dielsia Kudô
Englerastrum Briq.
Germanea Lam.
Holostylon Robyns & Lebrun
Isodictyophorus Briq.
Leocus A.Chev.
Neomuellera Briq.
Perrierastrum Guillaumin
Symphostemon Hiern

Several species are grown as ornamental plants. The cultivar Mona Lavender = 'Plepalila' [3] has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Recent phylogenetic analysis found Plectranthus to be paraphyletic with respect to Coleus, Solenostemon, Pycnostachys and Anisochilus. The most recent treatment of the genus resurrected the genus Coleus, and 212 names were changed from combinations in Plectranthus, Pycnostachys and Anisochilus. Equilabium was segregated from Plectranthus, after phylogenetic studies supported its recognition as a phylogenetically distinct genus.[2]

Etymology

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The word plectranthus derives from the Greek πλῆκτρον (plēktron), "anything to strike with, an instrument for striking the lyre, a spear point"[4] + ἄνθος (anthos), "blossom, flower".[5]

Species

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Plectranthus verticillatus in cultivation
 
Plectranthus ecklonii in cultivation

Paton et al. (2019) listed 72 species.[2] As of October 2022, Plants of the World Online accepted 84:

Transferred to Coleus

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Species transferred to Coleus in 2019 include:[2]

Other species formerly placed in Plectranthus

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Genus: Plectranthus L'Hér". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2007-10-05. Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2011-02-17.
  2. ^ a b c d Paton, Alan J.; Mwanyambo, Montfort; Govaerts, Rafaël H.A.; Smitha, Kokkaraniyil; Suddee, Somran; Phillipson, Peter B.; Wilson, Trevor C.; Forster, Paul I. & Culham, Alastair (2019). "Nomenclatural changes in Coleus and Plectranthus (Lamiaceae): a tale of more than two genera". PhytoKeys (129): 1–158. doi:10.3897/phytokeys.129.34988. PMC 6717120. PMID 31523157.
  3. ^ "Plectranthus Mona Lavender = 'Plepalila'". RHS. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  4. ^ πλῆκτρον, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
  5. ^ ἄνθος, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
  6. ^ "Plectranthus hadiensis (Forssk.) Schweinf. ex Sprenger", Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2022-10-07
  7. ^ "GRIN Species Records of Plectranthus". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on December 11, 2012. Retrieved 2011-02-17.
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