Code
LEVMA
Growth form
broadleaf
Biological cycle
annual
Habitat
terrestrial
🗒 Synonyms
| synonym | Clinopodium martinicense Jacq. |
| synonym | Leonotis caribea (Jacq.) Raf. |
| synonym | Leucas elliotii Baker |
| synonym | Leucas ringoetii De Wild. |
| synonym | Leucas schimperi Hochst. ex A.Br. [Invalid] |
| synonym | Leucas schimperi Hochst. ex A.Braun, nom. nud. |
| synonym | Phlomis caribaea Jacq. |
| synonym | Phlomis martinicensis (Jacq.) Sw. |
| synonym | Phlomis mollis Schumach. & Thonn. |
| synonym | Stachys fluminensis Vell. |
🗒 Common Names
| No Data |
📚 Overview
Description
Global description
Leucas martinicensis is a plant with an aromatic smell. It is erect with square shape stem and simple, opposite and decussate leaves. The lamina is oval lanceolate with strongly serrated margin. The whole plant is pubescent. The flowers are assembled in axillary glomeruli surrounding the stem. The calyx is a tube curved at the top and terminating by a long dorsal tine and numerous ventral filiform and shorter tines. The corolla is white; it has a simple dorsal lip and a ventral trilobed lip of similar size.
Cotyledons
The cotyledons have an ovate to round blade, slightly emarginate at the apex. They are 5 to 7 mm in diameter. They are carried by a petiole, 5 mm long.
First leaves
The first leaves are simple and opposite. They are carried by a petiole, 10 to 15 mm long. The lamina is oval to lanceolate, strongly serrated. The entire seedling is pubescent. The leaves give off a strong aromatic odor.
General habit
The plant grows upright. It is branched, especially at the base. The secondary branches remain quite short. This species measures 30 cm to 1 m high.
Underground system
Taproot
Stem
The stem is solid, of quadrangular section. The corners of the stem are rounded and the sides are slightly depressed. The stem is covered with a short reflected pubescence.
Leaf
The leaves are simple, opposite and decussate along the stem. They are held by long petioles, 5 to 20 mm long. The lamina is oval to lanceolate. It measures 4 to 9 cm long and 2 to 4 cm wide. The margin is sharply serrated. The apex is acute and the base is in wedged especially for the basal leaves. The lamina is traversed by 4 or 5 arched lateral veins. Both sides are covered with soft short pubescence. The lower surface is covered with small green glands.
Inflorescence
The flowers are assembled in dense axillary glomerulus, 15 to 40 mm in diameter and located at the last stalk of the plant.
Flower
The calyx is tubular with a top curved at right angle at maturity. It is 12 mm long, finely pubescent and covered with numerous longitudinal wrinkles. The end of the calyx is formed of a large dorsal tine and 8 to 10 filiform shorter ventral tine. The corolla is white, it is tubular and finished at the top by two lips barely exceeding the tines of the calyx. The dorsal lip is full and rounded, pubescent, similar in size to the ventral lip. The ventral lip is formed of three rounded lobes. The median lobe is wider than the two lateral lobes. The stamens are grouped into two pairs. The ventral pair is longer than the dorsal pair. At the base of the corolla tube are 4 free ovaries connected with a unique style.
Fruit
The fruits remain at the bottom of the calyx. Each contain a seed.
Seed
Seeds are obovoid, 1.5 mm long and of sub-triangular section. They are reddish brown in color.
Leucas martinicensis is a plant with an aromatic smell. It is erect with square shape stem and simple, opposite and decussate leaves. The lamina is oval lanceolate with strongly serrated margin. The whole plant is pubescent. The flowers are assembled in axillary glomeruli surrounding the stem. The calyx is a tube curved at the top and terminating by a long dorsal tine and numerous ventral filiform and shorter tines. The corolla is white; it has a simple dorsal lip and a ventral trilobed lip of similar size.
Cotyledons
The cotyledons have an ovate to round blade, slightly emarginate at the apex. They are 5 to 7 mm in diameter. They are carried by a petiole, 5 mm long.
First leaves
The first leaves are simple and opposite. They are carried by a petiole, 10 to 15 mm long. The lamina is oval to lanceolate, strongly serrated. The entire seedling is pubescent. The leaves give off a strong aromatic odor.
General habit
The plant grows upright. It is branched, especially at the base. The secondary branches remain quite short. This species measures 30 cm to 1 m high.
Underground system
Taproot
Stem
The stem is solid, of quadrangular section. The corners of the stem are rounded and the sides are slightly depressed. The stem is covered with a short reflected pubescence.
Leaf
The leaves are simple, opposite and decussate along the stem. They are held by long petioles, 5 to 20 mm long. The lamina is oval to lanceolate. It measures 4 to 9 cm long and 2 to 4 cm wide. The margin is sharply serrated. The apex is acute and the base is in wedged especially for the basal leaves. The lamina is traversed by 4 or 5 arched lateral veins. Both sides are covered with soft short pubescence. The lower surface is covered with small green glands.
Inflorescence
The flowers are assembled in dense axillary glomerulus, 15 to 40 mm in diameter and located at the last stalk of the plant.
Flower
The calyx is tubular with a top curved at right angle at maturity. It is 12 mm long, finely pubescent and covered with numerous longitudinal wrinkles. The end of the calyx is formed of a large dorsal tine and 8 to 10 filiform shorter ventral tine. The corolla is white, it is tubular and finished at the top by two lips barely exceeding the tines of the calyx. The dorsal lip is full and rounded, pubescent, similar in size to the ventral lip. The ventral lip is formed of three rounded lobes. The median lobe is wider than the two lateral lobes. The stamens are grouped into two pairs. The ventral pair is longer than the dorsal pair. At the base of the corolla tube are 4 free ovaries connected with a unique style.
Fruit
The fruits remain at the bottom of the calyx. Each contain a seed.
Seed
Seeds are obovoid, 1.5 mm long and of sub-triangular section. They are reddish brown in color.
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
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No Data
📚 Nomenclature and Classification
No Data
📚 Natural History
Life Cycle
Life cycle
Annual
Cyclicity
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Northern Cameroon: Leucas martinicensis is mainly a weed of middle and end of the crop cycle. In early cycle (June-July), it is only present in 50% of parcels and never abundant while in middle and late crop cycle it appears in more than 80% of parcels and often abundant. Germination begins in June regardless of tillage. It extends until August or even until the end of September. Weeding and mounding induce new sprouts and an extension of this phase. Flowering is induced by shortening the length of day and usually starts in September, quickly followed by fructification. Thus the total length of the development cycle ranges from 4 months for individuals germinated in June and of 1 month for individuals germinated in September. The spread germination and late flowering (after the last weeding) are powerful adaptation strategy in cultured medium. The plant multiplies from a small number of individuals not weeded producing many seeds. It also multiplies from many late and undeveloped individuals during flowering, but largely increases the soil seed bank.
Madagascar: L. martinicensis is a weed of middle and end cycle; it blooms late in the rainy season.
Madagascar: L. martinicensis is a weed of middle and end cycle; it blooms late in the rainy season.
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Reproduction
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Leucas martinicensis is an annual species. It multiplies only by seed. The seeds released at maturity are dispersed by water and the soil working tools.
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Morphology
Growth form
Erected
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf type
Simple
Type of prefoliation
Leaf ratio medium
Equality of opposite leaves
Opposite leaves equal
Latex
Without latex
Stem section
Square
Root type
Taproot
Hollow or solid stem
Hollow stem
Stipule type
No stipule
Leaf attachment type
with petiole
Cotyledon type
orbicular
emarginate
Lamina base
acute
Lamina apex
acute
Upperface pilosity
Glabrous
Less hairy
Upperface hair type
Pubescent
Lowerface pilosity
Less hairy
Glabrous
Simple leaf type
Lamina elliptic
Lamina section
embossed
Lamina Veination
in arc
Flower color
White
Inflorescence type
Glomerulate
Stem pilosity
Glabrous
Less hairy
Stem hair type
Scabrous
Pubescent
Life form
Broadleaf plant
Look Alikes
| Prostrate growth habit | Lamium amplexicaule | |||
| Erect growth habit | Stem with four clear edge | Stem with concave faces | Leonotis nepetifolia | |
| Light grooves on the stem | Hyptis pectinata | |||
| Stem with four rounded angles | Longitudinal furrow marked on the faces of the stem | Palmate lobed leaf | Leonurus sibiricus | |
| Elliptic leaf | Leucas lavandulifolia | |||
| Stem with depressed faces and oval lanceolate leaf | Lamina finely serrated towards the top | Hyptis spicigera | ||
| Lamina with strongly serrated margin | Leucas martinicensis | |||
| Teeth slightly marked | Ocimum americanum | |||
| Plant of 1 to 2 m | Inflorescence in panicle | Hyptis pectinata | |
| Inflorescence in axillary glomerulus | Leonotis nepetifolia | ||
| Plant of 1 m (or less) | Palmate lobed leaves | Leonurus sibiricus | |
| Elliptic leaves | Leucas lavandulifolia | ||
| Oval leaves | Lamina with strongly serrated margin | Leucas martinicensis | |
| Lamina finely serrated towards the top | Hyptis spicigera | ||
| Plant of 20 to 40 cm | Erect growth habit | Ocimum americanum | |
| Prostrate growth habit | Lamium amplexicaule | ||
| Inflorescence in panicle | Hyptis pectinata | ||
| Inflorescence in terminal spike | Dense spike | Hyptis spicigera | |
| Loose spike | Ocimum americanum | ||
| Inflorescence in axillary glomerulus | Large orange flower | Leonotis nepetifolia | |
| White flower | Glabrous petals | Leucas martinicensis | |
| Petals covered with white hairs | Leucas lavandulifolia | ||
| Inflorescence in whorls | White flower | Leucas lavandulifolia | |
| Pink to purple flower | 10 to 25 flowers per whorl | Leonurus sibiricus | |
| 5 to 10 flowers per whorl | Lamium amplexicaule | ||
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
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Ecology
Northern Cameroon: Leucas martinicensis is a very common weed in all crops in tropical regions. It grows on all soil types although it is more abundant on sandy filtered soils as the ferruginous degraded soils and more rarely on very clayey and very humid soils like vertisols and hydromorphic soils.
Madagascar: It grows on ferralitic and ferruginous humus rich soil, along edges of road and cultures,slope. It is a weed of rainfed crops (culture system based on maize or upland rice, more or less intensive) and tree crops in sub humid areas of low and medium altitudes, up to 1000 m altitude.
Mauritius: Absent
Reunion: Absent
Madagascar: It grows on ferralitic and ferruginous humus rich soil, along edges of road and cultures,slope. It is a weed of rainfed crops (culture system based on maize or upland rice, more or less intensive) and tree crops in sub humid areas of low and medium altitudes, up to 1000 m altitude.
Mauritius: Absent
Reunion: Absent
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
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No Data
📚 Habitat and Distribution
General Habitat
Habitat
Terrestrial
Description
Geographical distibution
Madagascar
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Origin
Species native to tropical Africa and India.
Worldwide distribution
This species is very widespread in all tropical countries (tropical America, tropical Africa and Southern Africa, Madagascar, Arabia, India, reported in Southeast Asia and Australia).
Species native to tropical Africa and India.
Worldwide distribution
This species is very widespread in all tropical countries (tropical America, tropical Africa and Southern Africa, Madagascar, Arabia, India, reported in Southeast Asia and Australia).
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
No Data
📚 Occurrence
No Data
📚 Demography and Conservation
Risk Statement
Global harmfulness
Leucas martinicensis is a very common weed in all crops in tropical regions.
Local harmfulness
Northern Cameroon: Leucas martinicensis is present in over 70% of cultivated land. However it is more abundant in the Sudano-Sahelian and Sudanian regions, where it is considered a potential general weed, that in drier region as Sahel-Sudan where it is rarely abundant. This weed is characteristic of cultivated plots for many years. It is absent from newly cleared plots. It begins to appear after 3-5 years of consecutive cultures and becoming more abundant but is never form monospecific weed infestations cover. It is usually associated with Commelina benghalensis.
Madagascar: L. martinicensis is a species infrequent and sparse in crops in Madagascar. It is found in corn and in rainfed rice.
Mauritius: Absent
Reunion: Absent
Leucas martinicensis is a very common weed in all crops in tropical regions.
Local harmfulness
Northern Cameroon: Leucas martinicensis is present in over 70% of cultivated land. However it is more abundant in the Sudano-Sahelian and Sudanian regions, where it is considered a potential general weed, that in drier region as Sahel-Sudan where it is rarely abundant. This weed is characteristic of cultivated plots for many years. It is absent from newly cleared plots. It begins to appear after 3-5 years of consecutive cultures and becoming more abundant but is never form monospecific weed infestations cover. It is usually associated with Commelina benghalensis.
Madagascar: L. martinicensis is a species infrequent and sparse in crops in Madagascar. It is found in corn and in rainfed rice.
Mauritius: Absent
Reunion: Absent
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
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No Data
📚 Uses and Management
Uses
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Medicinal: Leucas martinicensis is used in traditional medicine to treat diarrhea or gastrointestinal disorders. The extracts of the plant also have anti-microbial, anti inflammatory and anti-diabetic significant (Surya Narayan Das et al., 2012).
Other: This aromatic odor plant is also used as a repellent against mosquitoes
Other: This aromatic odor plant is also used as a repellent against mosquitoes
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Management
Local control
Northern Cameroon: Although Leucas martinicensis is sensitive to the pre-emergence herbicides used commonly in cultivations of cotton or corn, its ability to germinate late allows it to develop after the retentive period of the herbicide. This explains its frequency and abundance in plots intensively cultivated and regularly using pre-emergence herbicides. Moreover, it is not very sensitive to certain herbicides upon contact such as paraquat when the use of this product was authorized.
Madagascar: The manual weeding remains the method of control used in Madagascar.
Northern Cameroon: Although Leucas martinicensis is sensitive to the pre-emergence herbicides used commonly in cultivations of cotton or corn, its ability to germinate late allows it to develop after the retentive period of the herbicide. This explains its frequency and abundance in plots intensively cultivated and regularly using pre-emergence herbicides. Moreover, it is not very sensitive to certain herbicides upon contact such as paraquat when the use of this product was authorized.
Madagascar: The manual weeding remains the method of control used in Madagascar.
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
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No Data
📚 Information Listing
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
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Thomas Le Bourgeois
| Attributions | |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
References
- SURYA NARAYAN DAS, VARANASI JAGANATH PATRO and SUBAS CHANDRA DINDA. 2012 : A review: Ethnobotanical survey of genus Leucas Pharmacogn Rev. 2012 Jul-Dec; 6(12): 100–106.
- HEDGE I.C., CLEMENT R.A., PATON A. J. et PHILLIPSON P.B. 1998. – Flore de Madagascar et des Comores. 175è Famille LABIATAE M. N. H.N. Laboratoire de Phanérogamie. Paris p. 17-18.
- Le Bourgeois Th., 1993. Les mauvaises herbes dans la rotation cotonnière au Nord-Cameroun (Afrique) - Amplitude d'habitat et degré d'infestation - Cycle de développement. Thèse USTL Montpellier II, Montpellier, France, 241p.
- Merlier H. & Montégut J., 1982. Adventices tropicales. ORSTOM-GERDAT-ENSH éd., Montpellier, France, 490p.
- Le Bourgeois, T. and H. Merlier (1995). Adventrop - Les adventices d'Afrique soudano-sahélienne. Montpellier, France, Cirad. 640 pp.
- Berhaut J., 1975b.Flore illustrée du Sénégal. Tome 4. Clairafrique éd., Dakar, Sénégal, 625 p.
- Hutchinson J., Dalziel J. M., Keay R. W. J. & Hepper F. N., 1963. Flora of West Tropical Africa. Vol. II. 2ème éd. The Whitefriars Press ed., London & Tonbridge, 544p.
- Ivens G. W., 1989. East African Weeds and Their Control. Oxford University Press, Nairobi, Kenya, 289p.
- Grard, P., T. Le Bourgeois and H. Merlier (2010). Adventrop V.1.5 Les adventices d'Afrique soudano-sahélienne. Montpellier, France, Cirad.
- Berhaut J., 1967. Flore du Sénégal. 2ème éd. Clairafrique éd., Dakar, Sénégal, 485p.
Information Listing > References
- SURYA NARAYAN DAS, VARANASI JAGANATH PATRO and SUBAS CHANDRA DINDA. 2012 : A review: Ethnobotanical survey of genus Leucas Pharmacogn Rev. 2012 Jul-Dec; 6(12): 100–106.
- HEDGE I.C., CLEMENT R.A., PATON A. J. et PHILLIPSON P.B. 1998. – Flore de Madagascar et des Comores. 175è Famille LABIATAE M. N. H.N. Laboratoire de Phanérogamie. Paris p. 17-18.
- Le Bourgeois Th., 1993. Les mauvaises herbes dans la rotation cotonnière au Nord-Cameroun (Afrique) - Amplitude d'habitat et degré d'infestation - Cycle de développement. Thèse USTL Montpellier II, Montpellier, France, 241p.
- Merlier H. & Montégut J., 1982. Adventices tropicales. ORSTOM-GERDAT-ENSH éd., Montpellier, France, 490p.
- Le Bourgeois, T. and H. Merlier (1995). Adventrop - Les adventices d'Afrique soudano-sahélienne. Montpellier, France, Cirad. 640 pp.
- Berhaut J., 1975b.Flore illustrée du Sénégal. Tome 4. Clairafrique éd., Dakar, Sénégal, 625 p.
- Hutchinson J., Dalziel J. M., Keay R. W. J. & Hepper F. N., 1963. Flora of West Tropical Africa. Vol. II. 2ème éd. The Whitefriars Press ed., London & Tonbridge, 544p.
- Ivens G. W., 1989. East African Weeds and Their Control. Oxford University Press, Nairobi, Kenya, 289p.
- Grard, P., T. Le Bourgeois and H. Merlier (2010). Adventrop V.1.5 Les adventices d'Afrique soudano-sahélienne. Montpellier, France, Cirad.
- Berhaut J., 1967. Flore du Sénégal. 2ème éd. Clairafrique éd., Dakar, Sénégal, 485p.
Images
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Herbarium pictures ReCOLNAT: https://explore.recolnat.org/search/botanique/simplequery=Leucas%2520martinicensis
Thomas Le Bourgeois
| Attributions | |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
No Data
🐾 Taxonomy
| Root | Root |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Phylum | Tracheophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Lamiales |
| Family | Lamiaceae |
| Genus | Leucas |
| Species | Leucas martinicensis (Jacq.) R.Br. |
📊 Temporal Distribution
📷 Related Observations
