Some species of Plectranthus are difficult to identify because of a lack of clear-cut morphological criteria to discriminate not only among species within the genus but also among the closely related genera. This has resulted in numerous taxonomic problems in the naming of species with the result that species have often been placed in several closely related genera like Coleus, Solenostemon and Englerastrum. In addition, some species formally placed in Plectranthus, are now recognized as the more distantly related genus Isodon.
Because of these taxonomic issues, different names have often been used for the same species of Plectranthus and thus it has been difficult to collate information about the ethnobotanical uses of this genus. Furthermore, the most commonly used medicinal species of Plectranthus have a high degree of synonymy[].
This report is very much indebted to the work of C.W. Lukhoba et al. - Journal of Ethnopharmacology 103 (2006) 1–24[] in untangling much of this mess of names, and utilizes the on-line Kew database ‘World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (http://wcsp.science.kew.org/home.do) for determining currently accepted names and synonyms (as of 2018).

Common Name:

General Information

Plectranthus asirensis is a branched perennial plant with stems that can become more or less woody and persist; it can grow up to 150cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is a popular herb in Saudi Arabia where it is commonly used to treat diaper rash, itching and wounds.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Arabian Peninsula - Yemen, Saudi Arabia

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Pollinators	Insects

Cultivation Details

The whole plant is intensely aromatic[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The leaves are used as an antiseptic and deodorant dressing for wounds, and also in the treatment of diaper rash and itching[, ].

The plant contains an essential oil that is mainly dominated by monoterpenoids (90.7%). The two major components are thymol (66%) and gamma-terpinene (14%)[].
An aqueous extract of the plant has been shown to be an effective antibacterial against a range of organisms, including Bacillus fastidiosus, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella choleraesuis,
Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow in well-drained soil, covering lightly with a thin layer of sand, and place in a warm but shaded spot. The seed germinates in about three weeks[].
Cuttings - soft tips root faster than semi-hardwood growth but both root easily. Cuttings are best taken 60 - 100mm long with three or four nodes, making the cut just below a node. Place them in sand, perlite, vermiculite or peat, or any mixture of these, keep them moist and shaded and they should root in 2 - 3 weeks[]

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