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 congestus is an erect, annual plant with branched stems; it can grow 100 - 150cm tall[, ]. The plant is a shrub[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is widely cultivated as a medicinal plant in gardens in the Morobe Province of Papua New Guinea[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Australasia - Lesser Sunda Island, New Guinea, northern Australia

Habitat

Open places, thickets, savannah and on coastal rocks, at elevations up to 1,500 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	1.20 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The leaves and branches are crushed in water and drunk as a remedy for internal complaints[].
The leaves are used as an antiseptic dressing for wounds and in the treatment of scabies[]. The sap from crushed leaves is applied to sores and scabies[]. The plant is used externally against malaria and other fevers[].

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[].

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