A taxonomic revision of Anisomeles R.Br. (Lamiaceae) 
A.R. Bean 
Summary 
Bean, A.R. (2015). A taxonomic revision of Anisomeles R.Br. (Lamiaceae). Austrobaileya 9(3): 
321-381. The genus Anisomeles R.Br., naturally occurring from southern Asia to northern Australia, 
is taxonomically revised, and its phylogenetic placement is discussed. 26 species are recognised, 
of which 18 species are newly described (A. antrorsa A.R.Bean, A. brevipilosa A.R.Bean, A. 
bundeyensis A.R.Bean, A. carpentarica A.R.Bean, A. dallachyi A.R.Bean, A. eriodes A.R.Bean, 
A. farinacea A.R.Bean, A. grandibractea A.R.Bean, A. languida A.R.Bean, A. lappa A.R.Bean, A. 
leucotricha A.R.Bean, A. macdonaldii A.R.Bean, A. ornans A.R.Bean, A. papuana A.R.Bean, A. 
principis A.R.Bean, A. viscidula A.R.Bean, A. vulpina A.R.Bean, A. xerophila A.R.Bean), and one, 
A. ajugacea (F.M.Bailey & F.Muell.) A.R.Bean, is a new combination. Diagnostic morphological 
characters are discussed, and a comprehensive identification key to the species and four regional keys 
are provided. A summary of the chemical properties and cytology of two common Asian species 
is presented. Illustrations, images and detailed distribution maps are provided for all species, and 
their ecology and phytogeography are discussed. Lectotypes are chosen for Anisomeles candicans 
Benth., A. cuneata J.Jacq. ex Fenzl, A. heyneana Benth., A. inodora R.Br., A. moschata R.Br. and A. 
salviifolia R.Br. 
Key Words: Lamiaceae, Anisomeles, Anisomeles ajugacea, Anisomeles antrorsa, Anisomeles 
brevipilosa, Anisomeles bundeyensis, Anisomeles carpentarica, Anisomeles dallachyi, Anisomeles 
eriodes, Anisomeles farinacea, Anisomeles grandibractea, Anisomeles languida, Anisomeles 
lappa, Anisomeles leucotricha, Anisomeles macdonaldii, Anisomeles ornans, Anisomeles papuana, 
Anisomeles principis, Anisomeles viscidula, Anisomeles vulpina, Anisomeles xerophila, Epimeredi, 
Asia flora, Australia flora, Malesia flora, nomenclature, new species, indumentum, morphology, 
identification keys, distribution maps, conservation status 
A.R. Bean, Queensland Herbarium, Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation, 
Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong, Queensland 4066, Australia. E-mail: Tony. 
Bean@dsiti.qld.gov.au 
Introduction 
Anisomeles R.Br. is a genus belonging to 
Lamiaceae subfamily Lamioideae (Harley et 
al. 2004). Its species are short-lived perennial 
shrubs distributed in northern Australia, 
Malesia and southern Asia. The genus was 
described by Robert Brown (Brown 1810), 
with three species, A. salviifolia R.Br., A. 
moschata R.Br. and A. inodora R.Br., based 
on specimens that he himself collected 
from northern Australia, and a specimen 
collected earlier by Banks and Solander. Soon 
afterwards, it was realised that two species 
named by Linnaeus from India (Nepeta indica 
L. and Nepeta malabarica L.) were referable 
to Anisomeles (Sims 1819). 
Bentham (1848) provided a comprehensive 
taxonomic treatment of Anisomeles , where he 
enumerated eight species - the three species 
of Brown from Australia, and five from India 
and south-east Asia. Later, Bentham (1870) 
recognised only one species (A. salviifolia) for 
Australia, but at the same time documented 
four ‘forms’, with Brown’s three species 
associated with two of these forms. He 
commented, “with the very large number [of 
specimens] from various localities now before 
me, I am unable to assign any positive limits 
to any of the following [forms]”. Bentham’s 
taxonomy was subsequently followed, 
and hence A. salviifolia was applied to all 
Australian populations of Anisomeles for 
many years. Domin (1928) maintained A. 
salviifolia as the sole Australian species, but 
erected several varieties based partly on the 
Accepted for publication 13 August 2015 
