Plectranthus ambiguus

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Plectranthus ambiguus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Plectranthus
Species:
P. ambiguus
Binomial name
Plectranthus ambiguus
Synonyms [1]
  • Orthosiphon ambiguusBolus
  • Plectranthus coloratusE.Mey.
  • Plectranthus dregeiCodd

Plectranthus ambiguus, the pincushion spurflower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to the Eastern Cape and Kwazulu-Natal provinces of South Africa. [1] [2] Its cultivar 'Manguzuku' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [3] Flowers are pinkish purple with faint purple lines on the upper edge.

Contents

Ecology

Plectranthus ambiguus flowers from January to March. [4] Among the Plectranthus species, Plectranthus ambiguus is considered a longer-tubed species with an average tube length of 28.1 mm. It is pollinated by a number of insects, such as species of Stenobasipteron (tangle-veined flies) and bees such as Allodape pernix . [4]

When deprived of nitrogen, Plectranthus ambiguus begins losing leaves after two weeks, with all leaves shed in three to four weeks. When nitrogen is returned to the soil, new leaves emerge from the plant's axillary buds. [5]

Medicinal uses

Plectranthus ambiguus, known as iboza in Zulu, has been used by the Zulu people as a medicinal plant for a number of conditions, including skin sores, chest complaints, tonsillitis, fever, cough, and eye problems. [6] Reports from the 1950s noted its use in treating respiratory ailments - the leaves are crushed and mixed with hot water to make a tonic for colds. [7]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Plectranthus verticillatus</i> Species of flowering plant

Plectranthus verticillatus, Swedish ivy, Swedish begonia or whorled plectranthus is a plant in the family Lamiaceae (Labiatae), genus Plectranthus. Despite its common name, it is not close to the ivy family of the genus Hedera.

<i>Artemisia afra</i> Species of flowering plant

Artemisia afra, the African wormwood,[4] is a common species of the genus Artemisia in Africa, with a wide distribution from South Africa, to areas reaching to the North and East, as far north as Ethiopia.

<i>Rotheca myricoides</i> Species of flowering plant

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forests of KwaZulu-Natal</span> Forest vegetation type in South Africa

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<i>Tulbaghia violacea</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Ixia monadelpha</i> South African geophyte

Ixia monadelpha, also known as the pied kalossie or bontkalossie, is an endangered species of geophyte found in wet sandy flats in the southwestern Cape of South Africa.

<i>Polygala myrtifolia</i> Species of shrub

Polygala myrtifolia, the myrtle-leaf milkwort, is an evergreen 2–4 m tall South African shrub or small tree found along the southern and south-eastern coasts, from near Clanwilliam in the Western Cape to KwaZulu-Natal. It is a fast-growing pioneer plant, a typical fynbos component, and may be found on dunes, rocky places, along forest margins, beside streams, and in open grassland. It belongs to the milkwort family of Polygalaceae.

<i>Coleus neochilus</i> Species of flowering plant

Coleus neochilus, synonym Plectranthus neochilus, which is colloquially known as lobster bush, fly bush or mosquito bush, is a perennial ground cover with highly fragrant, partially scalloped, ovate leaves and purple blue inflorescent spikes.

<i>Plectranthus fruticosus</i> Species of flowering plant

Plectranthus fruticosus, the forest spurflower, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to Mozambique, Eswatini, and South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal, Northern, and Cape provinces. Growing up to 2 m (6.6 ft) tall, it is an erect evergreen shrub, with rounded, hairy leaves, and spikes of soft blue or mauve flowers in summer.

<i>Monodora grandidieri</i> Species of plant in the family Annonaceae

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<i>Plectranthus hadiensis</i> Species of plant

Plectranthus hadiensis is a perennial herbaceous plant of the family Lamiaceae.

<i>Gardenia volkensii</i> Species of plant

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<i>Huernia hystrix</i> Species of plant in the genus Huernia

Huernia hystrix, the porcupine huernia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae, native to southeastern Africa. A succulent, it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Plectranthus purpuratus or cliff spurflower is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to South Africa's Kwazulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces, as well as eSwatini. The name is frequently misapplied to Plectranthus ciliatus, presumably because both have purple-backed leaves.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben-Erik van Wyk</span> South African a professor of indigenous botany (1956-

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<i>Ceropegia ampliata</i> Species of plant

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References

  1. 1 2 "Plectranthus ambiguus (Bolus) Codd". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  2. Notten, Alice (March 2007). "Plectranthus ambiguus". pza.sanbi.org. South Africa National Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  3. "Plectranthus ambiguus 'Manguzuku'". The Royal Horticultural Society. 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  4. 1 2 Potgieter, C. J.; Edwards, T. J.; Miller, R. M.; Van Staden, J. (1999-03-01). "Pollination of seven Plectranthus spp. (Lamiaceae) in southern Natal, South Africa". Plant Systematics and Evolution. 218 (1): 99–112. Bibcode:1999PSyEv.218...99P. doi:10.1007/BF01087038. ISSN   1615-6110. S2CID   24890618.
  5. Chahal, Jazbaat K. (2010-09-01). Ability of Plectranthus spp to Re-green After Nitrogen Deficiency (Master's thesis). University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
  6. Mhlongo, L. S.; Van Wyk, B. -E. (2019-05-01). "Zulu medicinal ethnobotany: new records from the Amandawe area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa". South African Journal of Botany. 122: 266–290. doi: 10.1016/j.sajb.2019.02.012 . ISSN   0254-6299. S2CID   146062047.
  7. Rabe, Tonia; van Staden, Johannes (1998-02-01). "Screening of Plectranthus species for antibacterial activity". South African Journal of Botany. 64 (1): 62–65. doi: 10.1016/S0254-6299(15)30834-6 . ISSN   0254-6299.