Leonotis leonurus
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643fe09e886ad579843426 |
| Scientific name | Leonotis leonurus |
| Authority | (L.) R.Br. |
| First published in | Hortus Kew. 3: 410 (1811) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Leonotis leonurus is made into teas, decoctions, and inhalations in southern Africa for colds, flu-like illnesses, and chest complaints. Among the Zulu of KwaZulu‑Natal, dried or fresh leaf infusions are taken to “break” colds and to ease coughing; the leaves are also pounded and added to boiling water for steam inhalations (Hutchings et al., 1996; Van Wyk & Wink, 2015). The Xhosa in the Eastern Cape boil young leaves to make a bitter decoction that is taken for fevers, asthma, and persistent coughs; the same preparation is used as a steam bath to clear the lungs (Van Wyk, Van Oudtshoorn & Gericke, 1997; Kambizi & Afolayan, 2001). In Lesotho and among Sotho‑speaking communities, leaf infusions are drunk for colds, while steam inhalation of decocted plant material is a common home remedy for blocked nasal passages and influenza (Hutchings et al., 1996; Van Wyk & Wink, 2015).
Active constituents that plausibly underlie these traditional respiratory uses are established for the species. The herb contains flavonoids (such as apigenin and luteolin), phenylpropanoids (e.g., rosmarinic acid), and the labdane diterpene marrubiin, a well‑documented secretolytic and bronchodilatory agent that contributes to expectorant action (Jäger et al., 2009; Bhattacharyya & Sur, 2009). These compounds support the logic of steam inhalation and tea use for colds and coughs.
For practice, a mild tea of Leonotis leonurus can be made with 5–10 g of fresh or dried leaves simmered in 500 ml water for 10–15 minutes, then strained; 1 cup can be taken 2–3 times daily for a week. Traditional inhalations use a similar quantity boiled for 10 minutes and poured into a bowl for steam breathing for 5–10 minutes, with caution for sensitive airways. High‑alcohol tinctures are occasionally prepared at a ratio of about 1:5 (leaf material to 45–50% ethanol) macerated for 2–4 weeks; 1–2 ml can be taken 2–3 times daily for a few days, but use during pregnancy is not advised and dose should not exceed traditional ranges (Hutchings et al., 1996).
Today, the plant remains a familiar household cold and flu remedy in parts of South Africa, and commercial teas and extracts are sold on the local market. Ongoing pharmacological studies confirm bronchodilatory and secretolytic activity consistent with traditional practice, while safety evaluations are still being refined (Jäger et al., 2009; Van Wyk & Wink, 2015).
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
Leonotis leonurus is a noted bee forage in parts of South Africa; bees collect nectar that yields a monofloral wild dagga honey. Industry sources and horticultural–beekeeping literature report honey yields around 280 kg/ha in Cape conditions when honeybee colonies are placed near established stands; nectar flow typically peaks in autumn. The honey is described as light-colored and table-grade.
Properties relevant to use:
High nectar secretion and prolonged flowering period favor extended honey flows under favorable environmental conditions, supporting substantial colony gains and surplus harvest in managed apiaries.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Leonurus africanus | Mill. | Gard. Dict. ed. 8 : n.º 1 (1768) |
| Leonurus grandiflorus | Moench | Methodus : 400 (1794) |
| Leonurus superbus | Medik. | Bot. Beob. 1783 : 127 (1784) |
| Phlomis leonurus | L. | Sp. Pl. : 587 (1753) |
| Phlomis speciosa | Salisb. | Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton : 84 (1796) |
| Leonotis leonurus var. albiflora | Benth. | Comm. Pl. Afr. Austr. 243. 1838 |
| Hemisodon leonurus | Raf. | Fl. Tellur. 3: 88 (1837) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | lion's ear |
| English | lion's tail |
| English | wild dagga |
| Arabic | أذن الأسد الذنبية |
| ary | أبزاز |
| Czech | lvoušek oranžový |
| German | löwenohr |
| Armenian | Առյուծագի |
| Japanese | レオノチス |
| Russian | Леонотис пустырниковый |
| Slovak | srdcovník leví |
| ts | mbangi ya nhova |
| Chinese | 狮耳花 |
| Chinese | 狮尾草 |
| Chinese | 獅耳花 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!| Sow seeds at 20°C, expecting germination within 3 months without further temperature treatment. |
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Africa click to expand
-
Middle Atlantic Ocean
- Saint Helena
-
Southern Africa
- Cape Provinces
- Free State
- Kwazulu-Natal
- Northern Provinces
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West-central Tropical Africa
- Burundi
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Middle Atlantic Ocean
-
Asia-tropical click to expand
-
Malesia
- Jawa
-
Malesia
-
Australasia click to expand
-
Australia
- Tasmania
-
Australia
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000224580 |
| UNII | 579H5O18TX |
| USDA Plants | LELE3 |
| Tropicos | 17601477 |
| INPN | 706464 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:449133-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-109449 |
| Missouri Botanical Garden | 281484 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 691715 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 378904 |
| Nature Serve | 2.145563 |
| IPNI | 449133-1 |
| iNaturalist | 132849 |
| GBIF | 2926906 |
| Freebase | /m/025v0zc |
| EPPO | LEOLE |
| EOL | 579430 |
| Calflora (Californian flora) | 9144 |
| USDA GRIN | 21744 |
| Wikipedia | Leonotis_leonurus |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
Below is displayed the reference genome only!
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
| Accession | Assembly | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Level | Submitter | Released | Coverage | Size | |
| GCA_026898415.1 | MSU_Leonotis_leonurus_v1.0 | Scaffold | Michigan State University | 2022-12-14 | 65 | 498.31 Mb |
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Phenylpropanes | |||||
| 2-(4-Methylphenyl)propan-2-ol | 14529 | Click to see CC1=CC=C(C=C1)C(C)(C)O | 150.22 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| > Hydrocarbons / Unsaturated hydrocarbons / Branched unsaturated hydrocarbons | |||||
| Gamma-Terpinene | 7461 | Click to see | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Acyclic monoterpenoids | |||||
| 2,6-Dimethyl-2,4,6-octatriene | 5368821 | Click to see CC=C(C)C=CC=C(C)C | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| beta-OCIMENE, (3E)- | 5281553 | Click to see | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| beta-Ocimene, (3Z)- | 5320250 | Click to see | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| Linalool | 6549 | Click to see | 154.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| Myrcene | 31253 | Click to see | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Aromatic monoterpenoids | |||||
| P-Cymene | 7463 | Click to see | 134.22 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Bicyclic monoterpenoids | |||||
| (+-)-alpha-Pinene | 6654 | Click to see | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| alpha-Thujene | 17868 | Click to see | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| Beta-Pinene | 14896 | Click to see | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| Borneol | 64685 | Click to see | 154.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| Sabinene | 18818 | Click to see | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Menthane monoterpenoids | |||||
| Delta-Terpineol | 81722 | Click to see | 154.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| Limonene, (+/-)- | 22311 | Click to see CC1=CCC(CC1)C(=C)C | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| Terpinolene | 11463 | Click to see | 136.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids | |||||
| (1R,4S,4aR)-1,6-dimethyl-4-propan-2-yl-3,4,4a,7,8,8a-hexahydro-2H-naphthalen-1-ol | 5315592 | Click to see | 222.37 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| 1,6-Dimethyl-4-isopropyltetralin | 10224 | Click to see CC1CCC(C2=C1C=CC(=C2)C)C(C)C | 202.33 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| 7,11-Dimethyl-3-methylene-1,6Z,10-dodecatriene | 56936085 | Click to see | 206.37 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| alpha-Cubebene | 442359 | Click to see | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| beta Farnesene | 15228937 | Click to see | 206.37 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| beta-Bourbonene | 62566 | Click to see | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| beta-Cubebene | 93081 | Click to see | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| Cadina-1(10),4-diene | 10223 | Click to see CC1=CC2C(CCC(=C2CC1)C)C(C)C | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| Caryophyllene | 5281515 | Click to see CC1=CCCC(=C)C2CC(C2CC1)(C)C | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| Copaene | 19725 | Click to see CC1=CCC2C3C1C2(CCC3C(C)C)C | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| Humulene | 5281520 | Click to see | 204.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Aromadendrane sesquiterpenoids / 5,10-cycloaromadendrane sesquiterpenoids | |||||
| (7aR)-1,1,7-trimethyl-4-methylidene-1a,2,3,4a,5,6,7a,7b-octahydrocyclopropa[h]azulen-7-ol | 5321422 | Click to see | 220.35 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Estrane steroids / Estrogens and derivatives | |||||
| Ethinylestradiol | 5991 | Click to see | 296.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Heteroaromatic compounds | |||||
| 2-Pentylfuran | 19602 | Click to see | 138.21 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.1991.9697985 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Lactones / Gamma butyrolactones | |||||
| Marrubiin | 73401 | Click to see | 332.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JEP.2011.08.041 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |