Annual or perennial herbs or shrubs to 5 m. Inflorescence composed of 3-11 whorls per shoot, each
whorl dense, spherical, axillary, many-flowered; bracts leaf-like; bracteoles linear, spine-tipped. Calyx 8-10-toothed; teeth
usually rigid, spine-tipped. Corolla tubular, 2-lipped, white, covered with orange hairs (rarely white); tube with 1-3
transverse fringes of hairs inside; upper lip entire; lower lip 3-lobed. Stamens 4. Nutlets glabrous. Worldwide: 9 species in tropical Africa, with 1, L. nepetifolia, extending to America and Asia Botswana: 3 taxa. |
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