MFJ Field Note #002: Indian Borage (Coleus amboinicus)

MFJ Field Note #002: Indian Borage (Coleus amboinicus)

A Household Observation from Bengaluru, Karnataka

File:Indian Borage Coleus amboinicus.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Observation

On 31 July 2026, Monto Fact Jungle photographed an Indian borage plant (Coleus amboinicus) growing in a home garden in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

The plant was photographed as part of an original MFJ field observation, with particular attention to its fleshy, hairy leaves and characteristic growth form.

The photographs were taken directly from the living plant and are original photographs by Monto Fact Jungle / Mohanramus.

File:Indian Borage -Coleus amboinicus.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Original Observation Record

This field note is supported by an original observation published on iNaturalist.

• iNaturalist observation: Indian Borage — Observation #386899600
• Observation date: 31 July 2026
• Observation time: 8:24 AM
• Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
• Habitat/context: Home garden
• Observer/photographer: Monto Fact Jungle

The iNaturalist record documents the same real-world observation from which the original photographs were produced.

Plant identification

Common name: Indian borage
Scientific name: Coleus amboinicus Lour.
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Coleus
Species: C. amboinicus

The species is currently accepted by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew's Plants of the World Online. Plectranthus amboinicus is treated by Kew as a synonym of Coleus amboinicus.

What I observed

The plant had thick, fleshy, rounded-to-ovate leaves with a noticeably hairy surface. The leaves appeared succulent compared with many ordinary garden herbs.

The plant was growing as a household garden plant rather than being observed in a wild habitat.

Field observation: The photographs document what was actually observed at the time and place of photography. They are not intended to establish botanical characteristics beyond what can be directly seen in the photographs.

Why this observation matters

Indian borage is a familiar household plant in many parts of India, but familiar plants are easy to overlook.

This observation is part of MFJ's effort to document ordinary plants as they are encountered in real life, using original photographs and field notes rather than relying entirely on stock imagery.

Original photographs from this observation have been contributed to Wikimedia Commons and linked through structured data to the Coleus amboinicus Wikidata item Q39087854.

Original photograph record

Photographer: Monto Fact Jungle / Mohanramus
Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Observation date: 31 July 2026
Subject: Indian borage (Coleus amboinicus)
Photograph: Original MFJ photograph

View the original Indian Borage photograph on Wikimedia Commons

Taxonomy note

Older references and databases may use the name Plectranthus amboinicus. This is not necessarily a different plant. Kew currently treats Plectranthus amboinicus as a synonym of the accepted name Coleus amboinicus.

This distinction is worth recording because people searching for Indian borage may encounter either scientific name.

MFJ's photographic contribution

The original photograph was uploaded to Wikimedia Commons under a free license and is also associated with the Coleus amboinicus (Q39087854) Wikidata item.

This creates a traceable chain between the real-world observation, the original photograph, the Wikimedia knowledge ecosystem, and this MFJ field record.

Quick record

Wikimedia & Knowledge Graph

Original photographs from this field observation were contributed to Wikimedia Commons. The photographs are structured as depicting Coleus amboinicus and are associated with the corresponding Wikidata taxon item, Q39087854.

The photographs provide the visual record for this MFJ field observation, while the Wikidata and botanical references provide independent taxonomic context.

References

1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Plants of the World Online. Coleus amboinicus Lour. — accepted scientific name, classification, distribution and synonyms. Plants of the World Online — Coleus amboinicus
2. iNaturalist — Observation #386899600. Original observation of Indian borage documented by Monto Fact Jungle on 31 July 2026. iNaturalist Observation #386899600
3. Wikimedia Commons — Indian Borage Coleus amboinicus. Original photograph by Mohanramus/Monto Fact Jungle, licensed CC BY 4.0. Wikimedia Commons — Indian Borage photograph
4. Wikidata — Coleus amboinicus (Q39087854). Structured taxonomic record associated with the original Commons photograph. Wikidata — Coleus amboinicus (Q39087854)