Flora of the Leribe Plateau and Environs. 241 



PLECTRANTHUS, L'Her. 



P. natalensis, Guerke, forma glandulosa. 



Damp spots in ravines and mountain slopes. 10-45 in. high, 

 flowers pale mauve. Suunner. A. Dieterlen, 417 ! ; growing in shade 

 of rocks, flowers white, Phillips, 597 !; damp spots in ravine, flowers 

 bluish- white, Phillips, 776 !, Left's Kloof, flowers whitish-pink, 

 Phillips, 817 ! ; Bester's Vlei, near Witzie's Hoek, 5500 ft., December, 

 Bolus, 8238 !, Flanagan, 1927 ! 



DISTRIBUTION : Endemic. 



SESUTO : Lephelephele. Meaning unknown. Formerly it was used 

 to wash the sheep-skin coats which were worn by shepherds ; even now 

 it is used in the washing of cotton garments when soap is not available. 

 The leaves are glandular-hairy above. 



P. trans vaalensis, Briq. 



Orange Free State, Harrismith, 6500 ft., Sankey, 231. 

 DISTRIBUTION : Natal. Transvaal (Houtbosch). 



^OLANTHUS, Mart. 

 M. canescens, G-uerke. 



Mountain slopes, growing under rocks. 4-20 in, high, flowers pale 

 mauve. Summer-Autumn. A. Dieterlen, 36 ! ; south slopes of plateau, 

 flowers bluish, Phillips, 910 ! ; Natal, Van Reenen's Pass in rocky 

 places, 5500 ft., March, flowers white and purple, Wood, 7187 ! 



DISTRIBUTION : Graaff Reiiiet, Transvaal (Hooge Veld, Houtbosch, 

 Daspoort, Johannesburg). 



SKSUTO : Thvkoloane. Meaning unknown. Given to children, in 

 the form of a decoction, as a cure for colds. 



MENTHA, Linn. 

 M. longifolia, Huds. ; sub-species polyadena, Briq. 



Damp spots in hollows on mountain slopes. 10-35 in. high, flowers 

 mauve. Summer- Autumn. A. Dieterlen, 118 ! ; LefTs Kloof, flowers 

 whitish, Phillips, 820! 



DISTRIBUTION : Transvaal (near Pretoria) . 



SESUTO : Koena. A crocodile. An infusion is made with Mentha, 

 longifolia, sub-sp. capensis, and M. aquatica, and drunk as a cure for 

 colds. These three plants are also put under the bedding of a patient 

 suffering with a chest complaint, with the belief that they will make 

 him breathe easier. 



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