Reinstatement of the name Anisochilus eriocephalus Benth. (Lamiaceae) supported by micromorphological and molecular data

In 2019, A. J. Paton et al. proposed a new taxonomic combination, transferring Anisochilus carnosus (L.f.) Wall. ex Benth. to Coleus strobilifer (Benth.) A.J.Paton, and including Anisochilus eriocephalus Benth. within this broader circumscription. However, a recent comprehensive study conducted in Tamil Nadu, India, re‐evaluated species within Anisochilus using an integrative approach. This study deployed various kinds of data, including leaf epidermal morphology, seed structure, pollen characteristics observed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and molecular data derived from sequencing the trn L‐ trn F, rbc L, and mat K regions. The results revealed clear morphological and genetic distinctions between A. eriocephalus and A. carnosus . Specifically, A. eriocephalus is characterized by a terete, glabrescent stem (in contrast to the tetragonal, pubescent stem of A . carnosus ), yellow gland‐dotted leaves, calyx, and corolla (versus red gland‐dotted in A. carnosus ), and the presence of gland‐tipped trichomes on the lower lip of the corolla (as opposed to simple trichomes). Additionally, the calyx tube in A. eriocephalus is villous, whereas it is pubescent in A. carnosus. Pollen morphology further differentiates the two species: A. eriocephalus exhibits finely reticulate grains with shallow colpi, while A. carnosus displays coarsely reticulate grains with deep colpi. Molecular phylogenetic analysis validated these findings, confirming significant genetic divergence between the two taxa. In light of these results, we propose a revised taxonomic treatment, reinstating A. eriocephalus under the genus Coleus as Coleus eriocephalus (Benth.) Soosairaj.