Pogostemon
Content
Description
Herbs or undershrubs, usually pubescent, sometimes strongly scented.
Leaves opposite or whorled, sessile or petiolate.
Flowers small or minute, in simple or branched spicate-racemose inflorescences formed of many densely flowered, sub-capitate, approximate or distant, verticillasters.
Stamens 4, exserted, usually straight;
Distribution
Asia-Temperate, Asia-Tropical, Australasia, Japan present, SE. Asia present
About 50 spp. throughout SE. Asia to China and Japan, southwards through the whole of Malesia (9 spp.), one extending to Australia.
Taxonomy
The genus is taken here in a wider sense than usual, including the whorled-leaved species of 'Dysophylla'. The type species of Dysophylla, D. auricularia, is a true Pogostemon. SHAW (1967) felt induced to maintain the name in a new sense to cover the whorled-leaved species, but this is nomen-claturally untenable as D. auricularia is the type, and the phyllotaxis is insufficient taxonomically for a generic level. The merging of the two genera was already proposed by HASSKARL (1842), followed by MIQUEL (1859), and O. KUNTZE (1891). BENTHAM (1870) in accepting Dysophylla gave as the alternative that "it would at any rate form a very marked section", and this suggestion is here followed.
It has been overlooked that Alopecuro-veronica L. is an older, perfectly valid generic name, against which Pogostemon is proposed to be conserved.
Citation
Miq. 1859 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 961
BRIQ. 1897 – In: E. & P., Nat. Pfl. Fam. 4: 330
BTH. 1848 – In: DC., Prod. 12: 151
DESF. 1876 – In: B. & H., Gen. Pl. 2: 1179
BTH. 1870 – In: Fl. Austr.: 81
Bl. 1876 – In: B. & H., Gen. Pl. 2: 1180
LINNE 1759 – In: Amoen. Ac.: 143
O.K. 1891 – In: Rev. Gen. Pl.: 529
BRIQ. 1897 – In: E. & P., Nat. Pfl. Fam. 4: 328
HASSK. 1842 – In: Flora: II
DESF. 1844: Cat. Hort. Bog.: 130
KENG 1969 – In: Gard. Bull. Sing.: 151
KENG. 1969 – In: Gard. Bull. Sing.: 67