Leonotis ocymifolia (Burm. f.) Iwarsson, Lamiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Perennial herb, often 1-3 (5) m tall, often branching from the base, growing from a swollen rootstock. Leaves opposite, petiolate, broadly ovate to almost round, less than 6 cm long, velvety to hairy below; margin crenate-dentate. Flowers in 1-2 subspherical inflorescences per branch, separated by an internode up to 65 mm long. Corolla 32-45 mm long covered in dull to bright orange hairs with a single fringe of hairs inside at the base of the tube"  (Flora of Zimbabwe online).

var. raineriana (Vis.) Iwarsson:  "This variety can be distinguished from L. ocymifolia var. ocymifolia by the more robust, semi-woody habit, up to 5 m tall; larger lanceolate-ovate leaves, usually more than 6 cm long and more numerous (up to 5), and larger (up to 9 cm in diameter) inflorescences per branch. The flowers are more variable in colour from whitish buff to pale salmon-pink or orange to orange-red, different colour forms sometimes found growing together" (Flora of Zimbabwe online).

Habitat/ecology:  In Zimbabwe (native), "occurring on rocky outcrops, kopjes, in riverbeds and near evergreen forest, 960-2300 m"  (Flora of Zimbabwe online).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Eastern and southern Africa (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)

Additional information:
Additional online information about Leonotis ocymifolia is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Leonotis ocymifolia as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Leonotis ocymifolia may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John. 2011. Naturalized species in the Juan Fernández Archipelago, Chile. Unpublished spreadsheet.

Hyde, M. A./Wursten, B. T./Ballings, P. 2012. Flora of Zimbabwe. (online resource).

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.