Coleus thyrsoideus Baker

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Plateau below Mt Pheza, Chimanimani Mts National Park, Mozambique

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Synonyms:	Plectranthus thyrsoideus (Baker) B. Mathew
Common names:
Frequency:	Locally frequent
Status:
Description:	Shrubby perennial herb, up to 90 cm tall. Stems petioles and inflorescence sparsely covered with spreading hairs. Leaves opposite, lowermost largest, up to 17 × 10 cm, ovate-cordate, bright green above, paler beneath with veins prominent, pubescent; lamina decurrent into the c. 2 cm long petiole; margin coarsely toothed. Leaves gradually smaller towards the top of the branches. Inflorescences terminal on the branches, up to 25 cm long, shortly branched, each branch with dense 10-15 flowered dichotomous cymes. Calyx small, with spreading stellate hairs; dorsal sepal linear-oblong, twice as long as other sepals. Corolla 2-lipped, bright blue, 1.2-1.5 cm long. Upper lip reflexed, broadly obovate, with 4 short rounded lobes; lower lip distinctly longer, saccate, laterally compressed, pointed at the apex.
Notes:	The intense blue flower colour and tall, densely flowered inflorescences make this a well-known and popular garden plant
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat:	Montane areas, often sheltered under rocks.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia?, Zimbabwe.
Mozambique distribution:	MS
Growth form(s):	Perennial.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Monday 5 September 2011
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 189. as Plectranthus thyrsoideus Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 44. as Plectranthus thyrsoideus 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 Plectranthus thyrsoideus Paton, A.J. et al. (2013). Lamiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 8(8) Page 258. as Plectranthus thyrsoideus Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 93. as Plectranthus thyrsoideus

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Flora of Malawi: Coleus thyrsoideus
Flora of Zambia: Coleus thyrsoideus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Coleus thyrsoideus
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Coleus thyrsoideus

External websites:

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