top of page

Species Card Details

Plectranthus madagascariensis

Thicket Coleus

Species Card Photograph

Group:

Eudicot

Size:

1 m

Distribution:

Plectranthus madagascariensis occurs in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa, to the Mascarene Islands in the Western Indian ocean. Plants are usually found in shaded subtropical thickets, on dry rocky outcrops and forest margins.

PromethION Sequencing Report:

Output:

38.75 Gigabases

Approximate N50:

32.04 kilobases

Assembly N50:

7 391.89 kilobases

Contig number:

509

Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:

Assembler used:

Hifiasm

Genome Length:

1.18 Gigabases

BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):

99.6% [S: 83.1%, D: 15.5%]

BUSCO database:

viridiplantae

Importance:

Plectranthus species are used in traditional medicine for coughs, colds, and scabies, and their pungent foliage helps repel flies. They are hardy, water-wise, and widely cultivated locally and internationally as ornamental foliage plants, with variegated forms especially valued, contributing to their role in the bioeconomy.

Sample Contributor contact details:

Roger Jaques
Closing the Loop (Pty) Ltd

Date Published:

2026-04-21

Photo credit:

© M. Thompson

Flora

bottom of page