Orthosiphon thymiflorus (Roth) Sleesen

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Along entrance road to Nhambo Cottages, Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge.

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Synonyms:	Ocimum suffrutescens Thonn. Ocimum thymiflorus Roth. Orthosiphon australis Vatke Orthosiphon glabratus Benth. var. africanus Benth. Orthosiphon suffrutescens (Thonn.) J.K. Morton
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Straggling, somewhat shrubby perennial herb, up to 1.5 m tall, not or hardly aromatic. Stems several ascending to erect, 4-angled, normally well branched, retrorsely pubescent along the angles, sometimes with dense spreading hairs. Leaves ovate to elliptic, usually 1-4 cm long, but larger in well-shaded plants, glandular punctate and hairless or pubescent above, pubescent, particularly along the veins beneath; margin scalloped or toothed; petiole up to 25 mm long. Inflorescence fairly lax with 6-flowered verticils 8-20 mm apart; bracts 2-3 mm long, ovate-triangular. Calyx 3-4 mm long, conspicuously purple on the upper lip, green otherwise; lobes of lower lip awn-like, 2-3 mm long. Corolla usually pink, sometimes white or mauve, 8-16 mm long; tube straight.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	thymiflorus: with flowers like thyme.
Habitat:	Wooded grassland; deciduous woodland, bush and more open dry forest; also in disturbed places.
Altitude range:	Up to 1800 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical Africa, South Africa, Madagascar and tropical Asia from India and Sri lanka to China and Indonesia.
Malawi distribution:	N,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Thursday 12 February 2015
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 41. As Orthosiphon suffrutescens Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 56. as Orthosiphon suffrutescens Paton, A.J. et al. (2009). Lamiaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 185 - 186. Paton, A.J. et al. (2013). Lamiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 8(8) Pages 151 - 152. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 70. as Orthosiphon suffrutescens Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 79. as Orthosiphon suffrutescens

Other sources of information about Orthosiphon thymiflorus:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Orthosiphon thymiflorus
Flora of Burundi: Orthosiphon thymiflorus
Flora of Mozambique: Orthosiphon thymiflorus
Flora of Zambia: Orthosiphon thymiflorus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Orthosiphon thymiflorus

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Orthosiphon thymiflorus
African Plant Database: Orthosiphon thymiflorus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Orthosiphon thymiflorus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Orthosiphon thymiflorus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Orthosiphon thymiflorus
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Orthosiphon thymiflorus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Orthosiphon thymiflorus
JSTOR Plant Science: Orthosiphon thymiflorus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Orthosiphon thymiflorus
Plants of the World Online: Orthosiphon thymiflorus
Tropicos: Orthosiphon thymiflorus
Wikipedia: Orthosiphon thymiflorus