Lion's Ears

A mint, Leonotis nepetifolia, photo © Michael Plagens

Bright orange tubular flowers emerging from spiny balls of closely packed flowers and seed capsules.

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Orthosiphon

an Orthosiphon mint from Rift Valley highlands, photo © Michael Plagens

Flowers are nearly white, but subtended by enlarged, Burgundy-color calyx. Shrubby plant about a m tall.

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Another Plectranthus?

A diminutive mint with thick, velvety leaves, photo © Michael Plagens

Tall, lizard-tail-like inflorescence with purple flowers. Leaves mostly basal, rounded and thickened.

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Spur-Flower

Spur-Flower, Plectranthus sp., Kenya, photo © Michael Plagens

Robust shrubby plant with opposite, deltoid leaves with rounded teeth and ringed clusters of deep purple, two-lipped flowers.

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Plectranthus neochilus ?

a Plectranthus from Nairobi area, photo © Michael Plagens

The cauducous bracts on inflorescence are hooked at tip. Blooms purple.

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Climbing Plectranthus

A vine-like mint, Plectranthus, photo © Michael Plagens

Distinctly square-stemmed vine-like plant. Lateral branches recurve to grab its way. Dark purple flowers in spikes.

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Pasture Spur-Flower

pasture weed Spur-Flower, Plectranthus sp., Kenya, photo © Michael Plagens

Robust shrubby plant with smaller, ovate leaves with shallow teeth and ringed clusters of white, two-lipped flowers.

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Plectranthus #3

Spur-Flower, Plectranthus sp., Kenya, photo © Michael Plagens

Robust herbaceous herbs with felty, opposite, elongate-triangular leaves and pale, two-lipped flowers. I've found at least 8 Plectranthus spp. now.

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Plectranthus #4

a Plectranthus from Menangai Crater, photo © Michael Plagens

Densely flowered spikes of white flowers. Leaves deltoid and velvety pubescent.

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Plectranthus #8

A mint, Plectranthus, photo © Michael Plagens

Blue flowers are subtended by long-acuminate sepals. Thin leaves are strongly aromatic and the herbage is avoided by grazers.

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Coleus sp.

Coleus species merged with Plectranthus,  photo © Michael Plagens

The broad soft leaves have conspicuous veins and in some horticultural varieties are variegated with red or purple.

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Leucas

Leucas deflexa in Kenya, photo © Michael Plagens

Spikes of small flowers clustered into tiered spherical balls. Opposite leaves folded downwards.

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Wild Basil

Wi;d Basil, Ocimum, Kenya, photo © Michael Plagens

Small, pale, two-lipped flowers set in spikes on a many-stemmed herb about 30 cm tall.

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Bush Violet

a mint spp, Tinnea, Kenya, photo © Michael Plagens

An enlarged calyx subtends the purple two-lipped flower, enlarging more in fruit. Shrubby plant. Iten, Kenya.

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Hedgehog Sage

a possible Pycnostachys from Rift Valley highlands, photo © Michael Plagens

Densely flowered spikes of small bluish flowers. Between the flowers are many long, bristly bracts.

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Hedgehog #2

prickly fruit mint, Pycnostachys, Kenya, photo © Michael Plagens

Spikes of pale flowers followed by elongating bracts with long, sharp bristles.

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Ajuga

low-growing mint with silvery leaves, Ajuga, Kenya, photo © Michael Plagens

Light blue two-lipped flowers. Leaves silvery green with rounded serrations.

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Aeollanthus

succulent mint, Aeollanthus, Kenya, photo © Michael Plagens

Spikes of pale purple flowers on leafy, succulent stems. Growing out of rock outcropping. Taita Hills.

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Rotheca

Blue Cat's Whiskers, Bilaterally symetrical flowers of Rotheca, Kenya, photo © Michael Plagens

Striking blue flowers on a shrub with dark green, opposite leaves. Widely cultivated.

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Blue Cat's Whiskers

A mint, Rotheca, photo © Michael Plagens

Exquisite, bilaterally symetrical flowers on a shrubby plant. One dark blue and four lighter blue petals.

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Fuerstia

a mint, possibly Fuerstia africana, from Rift Valley highlands, photo © Michael Plagens

Two or three, two-lipped, white flowers at each node. Calyx with one tooth much larger than the other three.

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Micromeria

shrubby mint, Micromeria imbricata, Kenya, photo © Michael Plagens

Small elliptical leaves are tough, pointed, with thickened margins. Small blue flowers are two-lipped. Shrubby plant with several tall slender stems from woody lower portion.

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Kenya Natural History

Copyright Michael J. Plagens, page created 26 Sept. 2012,
updated 18 Sept. 2018.

By no means am I an expert on the Natural History of Kenya because I am a novice to exploring this part of the World. By creating a page for the species as I encounter them I am teaching myself and sharing with others. If you find an error or appreciate my efforts please send me a message.