LAMIACEAE

Orthosiphon thymiflorus

Shell Bush

Wildflowers

Local Context

Common in areas with plenty of shade across the estate.

Identification

Growth: Erect herb branching at or near the base (15–60 cm tall), growing as an annual or soft perennial from a woody rootstock; stems are semi-woody.
Flowers: White to mauve, or sometimes pale pink with raspberry-purple markings; arranged in simple spikes (4–15 cm long) with flowers grouped in whorls of 2 to 6.
Leaves: Thin-textured and distinctly stalked (stalks 5–25 mm long); the blades are broadly oval-shaped (1.5–5 cm long) with a pointed to blunt tip and mostly smooth to sparsely toothed edges.
Texture: Stems and leaves range from nearly hairless to softly hairy; the underside of the leaves is covered in pale brownish glandular dots.
Fruit: Specific fruit details are not extensively described, but the seeds develop within a hairy protective calyx that enlarges to 7–9 mm long during the fruiting stage.

Did You Know?

This plant is locally known in references and guides as Orthosiphon suffrutescens, but there is now agreement in botanical circles that "our" plants are part of the widely distributed Orthosiphon thymiflorus. This highly adaptable species found across diverse ecosystems occurs from tropical and southern Africa and Madagascar through to South Asia and Indonesia. Other common names are Thyme Java Tea and Piccadill.

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