Plectranthus unguentarius Codd, Lamiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Perennial erect robust semi-succulent suffretex 1-1.5 m tall; stems woody at the base, obscurely 4-angled, sparingly branched, densely cano-tomentose and with minute gland-dots.  Leaves semi-fleshy, slightly aromatic, drying fairly thick-textured; petiole 1-1.5 cm long, pubescence as for the stems; blade broadly obovate to subrotund, 4-6 cm long and equally broad, densely appressed pubescent and veins indistinct above, woolly-tomentose and distinctly reticulate veined below, freely dotted with minute reddish-brown gland-dots; apex rounded; base cuneate to abruptly attenuate on to the petiole; margin coarsely crenate expect in the lower third with 8-12 pairs of rounded teeth.  Inflorescence a terminal spike-like raceme of interrupted densely glomerate verticillasters, verticillasters 1-3 cm apart, simple or with a pair of branches near the base up to 35 cm long; rhachis densely woolly-tomentose; bracts broadly ovate, 3 mm long, 2.5 mm broad, acute, densely tomentose, persisting to early flowering stage.  Flowers in very dense ± 210-flowered sessile cymes, densely tomentose, producing ± 40-flowered verticillasters; pedicels erect to ascending 4-5 mm long, densely tomentose.  Calyx 2.5-3 mm long at flowering, enlarging to 5-6 mm in fruit, glandular-tomentose; tube short, campanulate; uppermost tooth by far the largest, horizontal, broadly ovate, 2.5 mm long and 2 mm broad, abruptly acute at the apex, the lower 4 teeth short, subulate.  Corolla white, 1-1.2 cm long, glandular-pubescent; tube slightly bent about the middle, 1 mm deep at the base, expanding to 2 mm at the throat; upper lip short, erect, 1.5-2 mm long and equally broad and somewhat hooded, emarginate and with 2 obscure lateral lobes; lower lip boat-shaped, 5-7 mm long, horizontal.  Stamens united at the base for 1-2 mm, curved upwards in the lower lip, 5-7 mm long, enclosed or slightly exserted.  Style exserted by about 1 mm"  (Codd, 1975; p. 388).

Habitat/ecology:  "Recorded from the Kaokoveld, northern South West Africa, in dry Mopane woodland, on high rocky situations up to 2,300 m altitude, with broken fragments of limestone and weathered dolomite"  (Codd, 1975; p. 388).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Namibia (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Floreana Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Plectranthus unguentarius, please let us know.