Equilabium laxiflorum (Benth.) Mwany. & A.J.Paton

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Equilabium laxiflorum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Forest below Lion Rock, Vumba.

Equilabium laxiflorum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Forest below Lion Rock, Vumba.

Equilabium laxiflorum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Slope above Nhamassa River Valley, Mt Gorongosa

Equilabium laxiflorum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Slope above Nhamassa River Valley, Mt Gorongosa

Equilabium laxiflorum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Slope above Nhamassa River Valley, Mt Gorongosa

Equilabium laxiflorum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mt Gorongosa

Equilabium laxiflorum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mt Gorongosa

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Germanea laxiflora (Benth.) Hiern
Plectranthus albus Gürke
Plectranthus kondowensis Baker
Plectranthus laxiflorus Benth.
Plectranthus lilacinus Gürke
Plectranthus violaceus Gürke
Common names: Citronella spur-flower (English) White spur flower (English)
Frequency:
Status:
Description:
Tall, strongly aromatic, perennial herb with scrambling stems up to 4 m long. Leaves opposite, triangular-cordate, 3-12 cm long, pubescent to hairy beneath and with red sessile glands; margin crenate or toothed, often slightly rolled under and purplish; petiole 1-12 cm long. Inflorescence terminal with few branches, fairly lax with 6-10-flowered clusters up to 2 cm apart. Calyx 2-3mm long with red sessile glands. Corolla usually white or pale mauve with darker markings, rarely blue.
Type location:
South Africa
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: laxiflorus: with lax or open inflorescences
Habitat:
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution: Eastern DRC, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
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 188. as Plectranthus laxiflorus

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 44. as Plectranthus laxiflorus

Goodier, R. & Phipps, J.B. (1961). A revised checklist of the vascular plants of the Chimanimani Mountains Kirkia 1 Page 62. as Plectranthus laxiflorus

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 laxiflorus

Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 147.

Paton, A.J. et al. (2009). Lamiaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 250 - 251. as Plectranthus laxiflorus

Paton, A.J. et al. (2013). Lamiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 8(8) Pages 210 - 211. as Plectranthus laxiflorus

Paton, A.J., Mwanyambo, M., Govaerts, R.H.A., Smitha, K., Suddee, S., Phillipson, P.B., Wilson, T.C., Forster, P.I., Culham, A. (2019). Nomenclatural changes in Coleus and Plectranthus (Lamiaceae): a tale of more than two genera Phytokeys 129 Page 118.

Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 70. as Plectranthus laxiflorus

Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 186 - 187. as Plectranthus laxiflorus (Includes a picture).

Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 93. as Plectranthus laxiflorus


Other sources of information about Equilabium laxiflorum:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Equilabium laxiflorum
Flora of Mozambique: Equilabium laxiflorum
Flora of Zambia: Equilabium laxiflorum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Equilabium laxiflorum

External websites:

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


Copyright: The Burundi flora team, 2024-25

The Burundi flora team (2025). Flora of Burundi: Species information: Equilabium laxiflorum.
https://www.burundiflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=149910, retrieved 17 September 2025

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