Coleus esculentus var. densus (N. E. Br.) Meerts & A. J. Paton, comb. et stat. nov.

Plectranthus densus N. E. Brown in Bull. Misc. Inform., Kew 1894 (85): 12. 1894. Type: Tanzania, N of Lake Malawi (Nyassa), Oct 1880, Thomson s. n. (holotype K [K 000431965]). (Basionym)

≡ Coleus densus (N. E. Br.) A. J. Paton, Phytokeys 129: 39. 2019.

= Plectranthus dekindtianus De Wild. Ann. Mus. Congo Belge, Bot., sér. 4, 2: 135. 1913. Type: DR. Congo, Bugege (?), Sep 1911. A. Hock s. n. (holotype BR [BR 0000009824928]), syn. nov.

Description.

Paton et al. (2009: 292), Paton et al. (2013: 241), as Plectranthus densus N. E. Br., restricted to specimens with inflorescence lax.

Distribution.

SW Tanzania to S Tropical Africa.

Habitat and ecology.

Dry woodlands, savannah, 1300–2000 m elev.

Additional specimens.

DR. Congo, Kasaï, Kahemba, route vers l’Angola, 31 May 1948, P. Duvigneaud 955 (BRLU); Haut-Katanga, Kambove, 17 Aug 1979, H. Breyne 3735 (BR); Lubumbashi, Kasapa, 15 Sep 1972, J. Bulaimu 533 (BR); Upemba, piste vers Mitwaba, 12 Apr 1947, G. F. de Witte 2488 (BR); 10 km W of Mindingi, 21 Jul 1956, P. Duvigneaud & J. Timperman 2067 (BRLU); Upemba, entre Masombwe et Lusinga, 21 Sep 1948, J. Lebrun 3644 (BR); Luiswishi, 2 Oct 1974, F. Malaisse 7965 (BR); Katanga, s. l., 21 Sep 58, J. Plancke 119 / 1734 (BRLU); Upemba, 25 Aug 1949, L. van Meel in G. F. de Witte 7555 (BR).

Burundi. Bururi, 21 Sep 1974, J. Rammeloo 4690 (BR).

Note.

Plectranthus dekindtianus De Wild. was synonymised with Plectranthus tetragonus Gürke by Paton et al. (2009); however, the type specimen lacks bristles on the stem and is better placed here