Plectranthus bojeri

(Benth.) Hedge

Lamiaceae Edible: Tubers, Root

iNaturalist· cc-by

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Description

A herb. It can grow each year from seed or last for a few years. It grows 1 m tall. The stems are 4 angled and can form roots at the nodes. They are hairy. The leaves are opposite and oval. They are 12 cm long. The edges have teeth. The flower heads are loose with 10-30 flowers. They are blue to purple.

Edible Uses

The tubers and roots are edible.

Medicinal Uses

The plant is used to treat snakebites. A decoction of the wholeplant, combined with Ocimum gratissimum, is drunk as a treatment for pneumonia. Children are bathed in a decoction of the whole plant in order to reduce fevers. The finely ground leaves are used for the treatment of conjunctivitis. They are applied as a dressing on wounds and abscesses.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows between 700 and 2,100 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Africa, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, East Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, West Africa, Zimbabwe,

Propagation

Seed - sow in well-drained soil, covering lightly with a thin layer of sand, and place in a warm but shaded spot. The seed germinates in about three weeks.

Notes

There are between 90 and 150 Coleus species.

Synonyms

Calchas bernieri (Briq.) P.V.Heath Calchas bojeri (Benth.) P.V.Heath Calchas briquetii (Baker) P.V.Heath Calchas claessensii (De Wild.) P.V.Heath Calchas collinus (Lebrun & Touss.) P.V.Heath Calchas copiosiflorus (Briq.) P.V.Heath Calchas dewevrei (Briq.) P.V.Heath Calchas platostomoides (Robyns & Lebrun) P.V.Heath Coleus bernieri Briq. Coleus bojeri Benth.Coleus briquetii Baker [Illegitimate]Coleus claessensii De Wild.Coleus collinus Lebrun & Touss.Coleus copiosiflorus Briq.Coleus dewevrei Briq.Coleus djalonensis A.Chev.Coleus gracilifolius Briq.Coleus heterotrichus Briq.Coleus homblei De Wild.Coleus latifolius Hochst. ex Benth.Coleus latifolius var. elatior VatkeColeus latifolius var. madiensis BakerColeus micranthus Maxim.Coleus petersianus VatkeColeus phymatodes Briq.Coleus platostomoides Robyns & LebrunColeus quarrei Robyns & LebrunColeus ringoetii De Wild.Coleus schweinfurthii Briq. [Illegitimate]Coleus splendidus A.Chev.Coleus termetophilus De Wild.Majana latifolia (Hochst. ex Benth.) KuntzeMitsa maculata Chapel. ex Benth.Plectranthus bongensis BakerPlectranthus cymosus BakerPlectranthus maculatus Bojer ex Benth. [Invalid]Solenostemon bernieri (Briq.) Guillaumet & CornetSolenostemon bojeri (Benth.) Guillaumet & CornetSolenostemon collinus (Lebrun & Touss.) TroupinSolenostemon cymosus (Baker) Guillaumet & Cornet [Illegitimate]Solenostemon gracilifolius (Briq.) Guillaumet & CornetSolenostemon latifolius (Hochst. ex Benth.) J.K.MortonSolenostemon platostomoides (Robyns & Lebrun) Troupin