Common name: Silver Plectranthus
Plectranthus nitidus P.I.Forst. APNI* Synonyms: Coleus nitidus (P.I.Forst.) P.I.Forst. APNI*
Description: Herb to 40 cm high; stem or lateral branches erect to straggling, lower parts fleshy (up to 8 mm thick), upper parts hairy, glands absent.
Leaves discolorous, narrowly ovate, 2.5–5.5 cm long, 1.5–3.5 cm wide, fleshy; margin serrate with 6–8 teeth on each side; upper surface green, glabrous; lower surface purple, with scattered antrorse hairs and very few scattered sessile glands; petiole 11–30 mm long.
Inflorescence 6–10-flowered; Calyx 2.5–2.7 mm long, with scattered hairs and a few scattered sessile glands. Corolla 8–9 mm long, lilac-white; tube 3.8–4.4 mm long, abruptly curved at 25–30 degrees 1.5–1.7 mm from base. Style 7–9 mm long.
Fruiting calyx 3.6–3.8 mm long; upper lobe ovate; lateral and lower lobes narrowly ovate-falcate. Seed semi-spherical, shiny black, 0.9–1 mm long.
Flowering: Flowering period not know; recorded as flowering in February
Distribution and occurrence: Known only from Nightcap Range (NSW) and Moreton District (Qld). Grows on rocky outcrops underneath rainforest canopy along a creek.
NSW subdivisions: NC
Other Australian states: Qld
Threatened species: NSW BCA: Endangered; Commonwealth EPBC: Endangered
Text by B.J. Conn
Taxon concept: P.I. Forster (1992)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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