Orthosiphon aristatus (Blume) Miq.

Miquel, F.A.W. (1858) Flora van Nederlandsch Indie 2(6): 943.

Cat's Moustache; Cat's Whiskers; Whisker Plant

Erect to spreading, fleshy stemmed herb to 1 m high. Stems square-angled. Rooting along stem.

Leaf blades about 3-16 x 2-4.5 cm, narrow-ovate, ovate to rhomboid, margins toothed. Sessile glands visible on both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf blade. Sparse hairs present on both leaf surfaces. Petiole 1-6 cm long.

Inflorescence a cyme, terminal, 4-6 flowers per node. Calyx curved, 2.5-4.5 mm long, 2-lipped; lower lip 4-toothed; upper lip single, broad, often recurved. Corolla tube slender, 10-16 mm long, white to pale purple, 2-lipped; lower lip entire, concave; upper lip 4-lobed, curved. Stamens 4, all fertile, greatly longer than corolla tube. Style 5-6 cm long; stigma club-shaped, short 2-lobed.

Calyx persistent in fruit, 6.5-12 mm long, enclosing the nutlets. Nutlets smooth.

Features not available.

Occurs in CYP and NEQ, also in cultivation. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 100 m. Grows in rainforest and deciduous closed forests, often at margins. Also known from India, mainland Asia, South East Asia, and New Guinea.