Rotheca

The following description is adapted from the most recent monograph on Lamiaceae. Rotheca is a genus of shrubs, subshrubs, and herbaceous perennial plants, with a few becoming lianas or small trees. They emit an unpleasant odor when damaged. The leaves are opposite or whorled, and sessile or with a short petiole. The calyx is actinomorphic or nearly so, and not accrescent as in some related genera. The corolla is blue, purple, or white, (rarely yellow), and 5-lobed. The abaxial lobe is often larger and different in color. The four stamens are long-exserted. The ovary is unlobed at anthesis, becoming lobed during maturity. The fruit is 4-lobed and resembles a drupe, but eventually separates into four 1-seeded mericarps. == Taxonomy ==

Rotheca was named by Rafinesque in 1838. The name is a Latinization of a Malayalam name meaning "small teak". Briquet's treatment was generally followed for the next 100 years, but doubts about it were often expressed. The genus Rotheca was revived in 1998, based on molecular phylogenetic work, some of which was not published until 1999. In this work, it was shown that inclusion of Rotheca in Clerodendrum renders the latter polyphyletic. == Species ==

One commonly consulted species list provides only a few examples. The transfer of species from Clerodendrum to Rotheca continues in a piecemeal fashion, and is mostly for the compilation of local floras. , The Plant List accepts the following species: • Rotheca alata (Gürke) Verdc. • Rotheca amplifolia (S.Moore) R.Fern. • Rotheca aurantiaca (Baker) R.Fern. • Rotheca bukobensis (Gürke) Verdc. • Rotheca caerulea (N.E.Br.) P.P.J.Herman & Retief • Rotheca calundensis (R.Fern.) R.Fern. • Rotheca commiphoroides (Verdc.) Steane & Mabb. • Rotheca cuneiformis (Moldenke) P.P.J.Herman & Retief • Rotheca cyanea (R.Fern.) R.Fern. • Rotheca farinosa (Roxb.) Govaerts • Rotheca hirsuta (Hochst.) R.Fern. • Rotheca incisa (Klotzsch) Steane & Mabb. • Rotheca kissakensis (Gürke) Verdc. • Rotheca louwalbertsii (P.P.J.Herman) P.P.J.Herman & Retief • Rotheca luembensis (De Wild.) R.Fern. • Rotheca makanjana (H.J.P.Winkl.) Steane & Mabb. • Rotheca mendesii (R.Fern.) R.Fern. • Rotheca myricoides (Hochst.) Steane & Mabb. (syn. Clerodendrum ugandense Prain) – Butterfly Bush • Rotheca pilosa (H.Pearson) P.P.J.Herman & Retief • Rotheca prittwitzii (B.Thomas) Verdc. • Rotheca quadrangulata (B.Thomas) R.Fern. • Rotheca reflexa (H.Pearson) R.Fern. • Rotheca rupicola (Verdc.) Verdc. • Rotheca sansibarensis (Gürke) Steane & Mabb. • Rotheca serrata (L.) Steane & Mabb. • Rotheca suffruticosa (Gürke) Verdc. • Rotheca taborensis (Verdc.) Verdc. • Rotheca tanneri (Verdc.) Verdc. • Rotheca teaguei (Hutch.) R.Fern. • Rotheca vanprukii (Craib) Leerat. & Chantar. • Rotheca verdcourtii (R.Fern.) R.Fern. • Rotheca violacea (Gürke) Verdc. • Rotheca wildii (Moldenke) R.Fern. == References ==