Leonotis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae (order Lamiales), commonly known as lion's ear — a name that reflects the distinctive shape of the tubular flowers. The genus was formally described by Robert Brown in 1810 in his Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen, the same work that established many Southern Hemisphere plant genera.
The roughly nine recognized species are herbaceous perennials or shrubs, most of them endemic to southern and eastern Africa, from Sudan and Ethiopia in the northeast down through Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique to South Africa. The conspicuous exception is Leonotis nepetifolia, whose native range spans sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent; it has become widely naturalized in Morocco, the Canary Islands, Southeast Asia, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and across much of Latin America and the West Indies.
The most widely cultivated species is Leonotis leonurus, native to South Africa and Angola, prized for its tall stems bearing whorls of vivid orange tubular flowers that attract sunbirds, hummingbirds, and butterflies. Leonotis ocymifolia is significant as the type specimen source for the genus.
Taxonomically, Leonotis sits within the subfamily Lamioideae and its circumscription is uncertain: molecular work published in 2009 found that Leonotis may be paraphyletic or even polyphyletic, with L. leonurus not closely related to the remaining species. The same study showed that Leonotis and three allied genera are phylogenetically embedded within Leucas (a genus of about 100 species); merging all four genera into an expanded Leucas would yield roughly 132 species.
Etymology
The genus name Leonotis derives from Greek, meaning "lion's ear" — an allusion to the shape of the corolla tube. It was coined by Robert Brown in 1810.
Distribution
Most species are endemic to southern and eastern Africa, ranging from Sudan and Eritrea south to South Africa. Leonotis nepetifolia has the broadest range: native to sub-Saharan Africa and southern India, it is now naturalized in the Canary Islands, Southeast Asia, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and much of Latin America and the West Indies.
Taxonomy Notes
Leonotis belongs to the subfamily Lamioideae of Lamiaceae. Its monophyly is questioned: a 2009 phylogenetic study found the genus potentially paraphyletic or polyphyletic, with L. leonurus distantly placed from the other species. That study also showed Leonotis and three related genera are nested within Leucas; if synonymized, the combined group would comprise about 132 species.
Cultural Uses
Leonotis leonurus and Leonotis nepetifolia are reported to be mildly psychoactive, producing effects loosely compared to cannabis but described as far less potent. Both species have traditional medicinal uses across Africa.
