Lamiaceae / Labiatae (mint, lavender, basil family)

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Order: Lamiales

This is a large family of about 252 genera and 6700 species worldwide, with 38 genera and 235 species indigenous or naturalised in southern Africa. There are many cullinary and medicinal herbs in this family.

Genera native or naturalised (*) in southern Africa

List from Retief (2000).

Acrocephalus About 130 species, native to tropical regions of the Old World. The only species in southern Africa is Acrocephalus sericeus which occurs in NE Namibia, including Caprivi.
Acrotome About 8 species, all African. Six of the species are native to southern Africa.
Aeollanthus The 43 species are found in tropical and warm regions of Africa, with 6 species found in southern Africa.
Ajuga About 50 species, found in temperate regions of the Old World. The only species in southern Africa is Ajuga ophrydis, found in the eastern parts of southern Africa.
Ballota About 35 species, found mainly in the Mediterranean region and Asia Minor. The only species indigenous to southern Africa is Ballota africana. In addition, there are two cultivated species from the Mediterranean region: Ballota nigra (Black horehound) and Ballota pseudodictamnus.
Basilicum The 7 species are found in tropical regions of the Old World with only one species, Basilicum polystachyon, found in southern Africa (Mpumalanga, Swaziland and northern KwaZulu-Natal).
Becium About 33 species, native to tropical Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and India, with 4 species found in southern Africa.
* Cedronella One species, native to Madeira and the Canary Islands, and a widespread weed on the Western Cape.
Clerodendrum About 400 species, found in tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World. There are 20 species found in southern Africa.
Endostemon The 17 species are native mainly to Africa, with 3 occurring in southern Africa.
Englerastrum About 20 species. The only species in southern Africa is Englerastrum schweinfurthii which is found along the Okavango and Zambesi Rivers (Caprivi area) in Namibia.
Geniosporum About 25 species, native to tropical Africa, Madagascar and southeast Asia, with one species in southern Africa (Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Swaziland).
Hemizygia About 35 species, native mainly to Africa, with 28 species found in southern Africa.
Holostylon About 4 species, native to tropical Africa, with one species, Holostylon baumii found in southern Africa (Botswana).
Hoslundia One species: Hoslundia opposita, widespread through tropical Africa and extending as far south as Mpumalanga, Swaziland and northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Hyptis About 300 species, native to warm and tropical regions of America and Africa. Southern Africa has one indigenous species and 2 naturalised species that orginate from tropical America.
Karomia Nine species, with one in SE Asia and 8 in Africa and Madagascar. The only species in southern Africa is Karomia speciosa, found in Mpumalanga, Swaziland and KwaZulu-Natal. Previously placed in the Verbenaceae.
* Lamium About 40 species, native mainly to the north temperate regions of the Old World. A European species, Lamium amplexicaule, has become a widespread weed in disturbed places in southern Africa.
Leonotis About 10-15 species, all from Africa, with 3 species found in southern Africa.
Leucas About 150 species, native mainly to Africa and Asia, with 7 species found in southern Africa.
* Marrubium About 30 species, native to Europe, north Africa and Asia. Marrubium vulgare is a weed in southern Africa.
Mentha (mints) The 25 species are mainly found in temperate regions of the Old World. Three species are native to southern Africa.
Neohyptis One species: Neohyptis paniculata, distributed from West Africa down through Angola and Zambia to as far south as northern Botswana in southern Africa.
Ocimum About 30 species, native to the tropics and subtropics, with 3 species native to southern Africa.
Orthosiphon About 40-50 species, distributed in the tropics of the Old World, with 9 species native to southern Africa.
Plectranthus About 300 species, distributed in the tropical and warm regions of the Old World, with 45 species found in southern Africa.
Premna About 200 species, distributed mainly in the warmer regions of the Old World, with 2 species in southern Africa. Previously placed in the Verbenaceae.
* Prunella About 5-7 species, found in the temperate regions of both hemispheres, but in southern Africa there is only the introduced Prunella vulgaris which has become naturalised in wet vleis and along forest margins in KwaZulu-Natal.
Pycnostachys The 37 species are native to tropical Africa and Madagascar, with 3 species found in southern Africa.
Rabdosiella One species: Rabdosiella calycina, widespread in the eastern parts of southern Africa.
Rotheca Species in this genus were formerly placed in Clerodendrum. There are nine species in southern Africa.
Salvia (sages) About 900 species, distributed in temperate and tropical regions worldwide, with 24 native species and 3 naturalised species in southern Africa. There are an additional 23 exotic species that are cultivated in this region.
Satureja About 30 species, found worldwide with 4 species native to southern Africa.
* Scutellaria About 300 species, distributed widely but no native species in southern Africa. Scutellaria racemosa is native to South America and has become naturalised in southern Africa.
Solenostemon About 60 species, distributed in Africa, Asia and Malesia, with 2 species found in southern Africa.
Stachys About 300, distributed mainly in subtropical and temperate regions, with 42 species native to southern Africa.
Syncolostemon The 10 species are endemic to the eastern parts of southern Africa.
Tetradenia About 5-6 species, native to tropical Africa and Madagascar, with 3 species found in southern Africa.
Teucrium About 100 species, found in temperate and warm regions worldwide but most species occurring in the Northern Hemisphere. Three species are native to southern Africa.
Thorncroftia The 3 species are endemic to Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
Tinnea The 19 species are all African, with 4 species native to southern Africa.
Vitex About 250 species, distributed in tropical and temperate regions, with 8 species indigenous to southern Africa.

Other genera, cultivated in southern Africa

List from Glen (2002). The species name is provided in genera that have only one species cultivated in southern Africa.

Acinos arvensis (Basil thyme) Indigenous from Europe to western Asia.
Agastache Two species cultivated.
Anisomeles malabarica Indigenous from Mauritius to Malaysia.
Calamintha glandulosa (Lesser calamint) Indigenous to southern and western Europe.
Callicarpa Five species cultivated. Previously placed in the Verbenaceae.
Caryopteris Two species cultivated. Previously placed in the Verbenaceae.
Clinopodium vulgare (Wild basil) Indigenous to Europe.
Coleus thyrsoideus Indigenous to tropical Africa.
Colquhounia coccinea Indigenous from India to China.
Congea tomentosa Indigenous from India to Vietnam. Previously placed in the Verbenaceae.
Dracocephalum moldavica Indigenous from Eurasia to China.
Galeobdolon Three species cultivated.
Glechoma hederacea (Ground ivy, Alehoof) Indigenous from Europe to the Caucasus.
Gmelina Four species cultivated. Previously placed in the Verbenaceae.
Hedeoma pulegioides (American pennyroyal) Indigenous to eastern USA and Canada.
Holmskioldia sanguinea (Chinese hat plant) Indigenous to India. Previously placed in the Verbenaceae.
Hyssopus officinalis (Hyssop) Indigenous to southern Europe.
Lavandula (lavenders) Eight species and two hybrids cultivated.
Leonurus Two species cultivated.
Lepechinia chamaedryoides Indigenous to Chile.
Melissa officianalis (Lemon balm) Indigenous from Europe to Iran.
Moluccella laevis (Bells of Ireland, Shell flower) Indigenous from Cyprus to Iraq.
Monarda Four species cultivated.
Monardella undulata Indigenous to California.
Nepeta Six species and one hybrid cultivated.
Origanum Four species and one hybrid cultivated.
Oxera pulchella Indigenous to New Calidonia. Previously placed in the Verbenaceae.
Perilla frutescens (Yegoma) Indigenous to Southeast Asia.
Perovskia atriplicifolia Indigenous to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Phlomis Two species cultivated.
Physostegia virginiana (Obedient plant) Indigenous to the USA.
Pogostemon
Prostanthera Three species cultivated (all from eastern Australia).
Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) Indigenous to the Mediterranean region.
Sideritis candicans Indigenous to Madeira.
Tectona grandis (Teak, Indian teak) Indigenous from India to Laos. Previously placed in the Verbenaceae.
Thymus (thymes) Seven species and one hybrid cultivated.
Westringia fruticosa Indigenous to eastern Australia.

Publications

Retief, E. 2000. Lamiaceae. In: Seed Plants of Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 323-334. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated Plants of Southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.