Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br.
EOL Text
Leonotis nepetifolia, also known as klip dagga or lion's ear, is a species of plant in the genus Leonotis and the family Lamiaceae (mint). It is native to tropical Africa and southern India. It can also be found growing abundantly in much of Latin America and the West Indies.[1] It grows to a height of 3 metres and has whorls of striking lipped flowers, that are most commonly orange, but can vary to red, white, and purple. It has very soft serrated leaves that can grow up to 4 inches wide.
- Varieties
- Leonotis nepetifolia var. africana (P.Beauv.) J.K.Morton - Indian Subcontinent, much of Africa
- Leonotis nepetifolia var. nepetifolia - much of Africa
Related species[edit]
Leonotis nepetifolia (klip dagga) is related to L. leonurus (wild dagga or lion's tail.) The most noticeable difference between the two is the leaf shape. L. nepetifolia leaves are cordate with serrated edges, except the top pair which are lanceolate with serrated edges, as pictured in taxonomy box. The leaves are all lanceolate with serrated edges on L. leonurus.
Traditional medicine[edit]
Leonotis nepetifolia is known in Trinidad as shandilay and the leaves are brewed as a tea for fever, coughs, womb prolapse and malaria.[2]
Gallery[edit]
-
Leaf
-
Flowers
_in_Narshapur,_AP_W_IMG_1164.jpg)
References[edit]
- ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
- ^ Mendes, John. 1986. Cote ce Cote la: Trinidad & Tobago Dictionary, Arima, Trinidad, p. 135.
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | Wikipedia |
| Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leonotis_nepetifolia&oldid=654405375 |
Robust annual or short-lived perennial herb, often 1-3 m tall, growing from a small slender taproot. Stem usually single, branching below the inflorescence, with a tuft of white to yellowish hairs at the leafnodes. Leaves opposite, petiolate, ovate, 3-20 cm long, covered in short hairs and sessile glands, more densely so below; margin crenate-dentate. Flowers in 2-5(7) subspherical inflorescences per branch, separated by prolonged internodes. Corolla 19-38 mm long covered in orange hairs with 3 fringes of hairs inside at the base of the tube. See L. ocymifolia for comparison.
FG Creole: gros pompon, pompon. Guyana: lionbush, man-piaba. Surinam Creole: bradibita, bradi bita, bradi-bita, ponsoe.
Flowering class: Dicot Habit: Shrub Distribution notes: Exotic
In Rwanda, leaves of this plant are used to treat pneumonia, anthrax and syphilis.
Pantropical. Outside Africa mostly as a weed.
United States
Origin: Exotic
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Unknown/Undetermined
Confidence: Confident
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | NatureServe |
| Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Leonotis+nepetifolia |
"
Global Distribution
Native of Tropical Africa; naturalised in many parts of tropics
Indian distribution
State - Kerala, District/s: Palakkad, Kasaragode, Idukki, Malappuram, Thrissur
"
"Shrubs, pilose. Leaves to 11 x 8 cm, ovate, apex acute, base truncate, deeply crenate, minutely punctuate, pubescent, basally tri-nerved; petiole to 9 cm. Thyrsus axillary and terminal, 5 cm across; flowers red; bracts 1.5 cm, linear, spinescent, pubescent; calyx oblique, tube 1.3 cm long, 7-toothed, spinescent; corolla tube 1 cm long, lower lip 1.5 cm, concave, densely villous; filaments 3 and 4 mm, flattened; ovary 1 mm, style 2 cm."
Deciduous forests