Plectranthus parviflorus Willd.

Erect herb or semi-shrub, 0.1-1 m. Stem and branches rather fleshy, glabrescent to densely villous. Leaves thick-or thin-chartaceous, ovate to suborbicular, l-2.5(-9) by 0.5-l(-5) cm, broadly acute or rounded, base rounded or subcordate, often slightly oblique, entire; margin elsewhere crenate or remotely crenulate, soft rugose or villous on both surfaces; petiole 0.5-l(-3.5) cm long, woolly. Flowers 6-12 in dense verticillasters, laxly disposed in terminal and upper axillary racemes 5-30(-35) cm long, simple or branched at the base. Bracts cordate, caducous. Calyx 1.2-2.5 mm long, in fruit 2.5-5 mm, densely villous and woolly, the upper tooth very broad, decurrent in fruit, the 4 lower teeth subulate, sharply pointed. Corolla white or light blue with dark markings on the throat, 3.5-5.5 mm long; lower lip boat-shaped, longer than the upper lip. Stamens exserted. Nutlets very minute, ovoid, c. 0.8 mm long.

Rocky, steep slopes, dry forest, savannah grassland, limestone cliffs, old garden lands; at elevations from 400-2,200 metres, occasionally descending to 60 metres.

The tubers are boiled or baked like a potato and eaten as a vegetable.

Plants can be grown from seeds. They can also be grown fro cuttings 10-20 cm long and by division of the sprouting tubers.