438 
Austrobaileya 9(3): 431—438 (2015) 
occurs in a relatively ‘severe’ habitat, other 
species of the genus from similar altitudes 
and latitudes flower normally when cultivated 
further south (i.e. Brisbane), hence its floral 
behavior is probably natural. 
Inferred relationships of this species 
are hypothesized to be with species such 
as Plectranthus apreptus , P. laetus, P. 
parvifloriis and P. pulchellus ; however, this 
remains to be tested with non-morphological 
methods. Plectranthus ventosus differs from 
all these species by the absence of sessile 
glands on the foliage and floral parts. It 
is perhaps most similar to P. parviflorus ; 
however, that species differs by the possession 
of a pronounced basal tuber to the stems 
(absent), retrorse orientated non-glandular 
trichomes on the foliage (versus antrorse) and 
floral bracts that are ovate to obovate (versus 
obovate-rhomboid). 
Plectranthus ventosus is surprisingly only 
the second vascular plant to be recognised as 
endemic to the boulder fields of the Melville 
Range at Cape Melville, the other being 
the iconic Wodyetia bifurcata Irvine, The 
Melville Range is recognised as a significant 
local centre of diversity for vertebrates with 
six endemic to these habitats (Hoskin 2013). 
Etymology : The specific epithet is derived 
from the Latin word ventosus (windy), and 
pertains to the continuous strong winds 
that buffet and shape the vegetation at Cape 
Melville Range. These very winds prevented 
revisitation of this specific locality in 2014 in 
an attempt to source further material and to 
ascertain the population extent. 
Acknowledgements 
I would like to thank Harry Hines (Queensland 
Parks & Wildlife Service) and Conrad Hoskin 
(James Cook University - Townsville) for live 
material and photographs of Plectranthus 
ventosus ; Simon Thompson (DATSIMA) for 
assistance in the field and organization of 
the fieldwork at Orchid Creek Station (OCS); 
Keith McDonald for assistance in the field at 
OCS and Wifi Smith (BRI) for preparation of 
the figures and maps. 
References 
Blake, S.T. (1971). A revision of Plectranthus (Labiatae) 
in Australasia. Contributions from the 
Queensland Herbarium^'. 1-120. 
Culley, T.M. & Klooster, M.R. (2007). The 
cleistogamous breeding system: a review 
of its frequency, evolution, and ecology in 
angiosperms. The Botanical Review 73: 1-30. 
Forster, P.I. (1994). Ten new species of Plectranthus 
L’Her. (Lamiaceae) from Queensland. 
Austrobaileya 4: 159-186. 
- (2014). Diversity on a tropical sky island: two new 
species of Plectranthus L.’Her. (Lamiaceae) 
from the Hann Tableland, northern Queensland. 
Austrobaileya 9: 207-215. 
Hoskin, C.J. (2013). A new frog species (Microhylidae: 
Cophixalus) from boulder-pile habitat of Cape 
Melville, north-east Australia. Zootaxa 3722: 
61-72. 
Map 2. Distribution of Plectranthus species at Cape 
Melville, Cape York Peninsula (area entirely within Cape 
Melville National Park): P. dumicola •, P. megadontus 
A and P. ventosus ▼. 
