Plectranthus barbatus (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia
Introduction

Protologue: Bot. repos. 9: pl. 594 (1810).

Synonyms

Coleus barbatus (Andrews) Benth. (1831),
Coleus forskohlii (Willd.) Briq. (1897) non Vahl (1790).

Distribution

Nepal, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka; introduced into Madagascar, East Africa and western Asia, and also planted in the Neotropics.

Uses

In traditional medicine in Brazil, P. barbatus is commonly used as an analgesic and to cure liver and stomach diseases. In India it is considered to have anti-allergenic activity. The tuberous roots are eaten as a condiment in India, where they are prepared as a pickle.

Observations

A perennial semi-succulent herb up to 75 cm tall, with generally decumbent stem rooting at lower nodes and thick tuberous roots; leaves ovate-oblong, 3-9 cm × 2-5 cm, thick.
Flowers in lax verticillasters disposed in terminal raceme-like inflorescences.
Calyx 2-lipped, corolla 13-17 mm long, deep purplish-blue.
Nutlets globose, about 1.2 mm long, granulate, blackish-brown.

P. barbatus occurs in open, semi-arid areas, on waste places and often on shallow, moist soil among rocks on slopes, up to 1500 m altitude.

Selected sources

58, 193, 292, 524, 529, 718, 719, 1277, 1492, 1573, 1646.

Authors

Mulyati Rahayu