**2.2.** *Ballota* **genus**

country in the world with 20,456 indigenous vascular plant taxa recorded where 13,265

The Lamiaceae (formerly Labiateae, mint family) is a cosmopolitan family with ~7136 species in 236 genera. Most species are shrubby or herbaceous and trees are extremely rare [3]. The Lamiaceae family has great economic value, as it contains several horticultural species, most of which are used as culinary herbs like salvia, rosemary, ocimum, mint, *Leonotis*, etc. Lamiaceae species are known to contain pharmacologically active terpenoids with a wide spectrum of bioactivity and expected to play more important roles in the process of drug discovery as well as cosmetic, food, and pesticides industries [4–6]. In the Sub-Saharan region, ~60 genera with ±980 species were reported [7]. SA considers as a diversity spot of Lamiaceae with ±308 species in 41 genera [8]. The species occur predominantly in the summer and/or winter rainfall areas. The habitats are different and

However, the South African flora is one of the most important mega floras for its unique diversity and endemism, it receives low attention in terms of bioprospecting, and the number of research paper every year dealing with chemical/biological profiling is still beyond the required level. This review serves as a background for the chemistry of all species belonging to the family Lamiaceae growing in SA and it covers publications till 2017. The articles information's abstracted from Sci-finder database [10] and includes all species growing in SA as well as other places. This chapter doesn't cover the essential oils and *Plectranthus barbatus*,

Different classes of secondary metabolites have been identified from Lamiaceae, the majority of the isolated compounds are terpenoids (~71%), and additionally other classes of compounds like flavonoids, α-pyrone derivatives, phenolic acids, and alkaloids were reported. Mono-, sesqui-, and tri-terpenoids are relatively small in number (~15%) when compared to diterpenoids and it was reported that more than 100 of different diterpene skeletons were identified which indicate the high evolutionary index of Lamiaceae [13]. According to the literature, the genera *Leonotis* (known as wild dagga) and *Plectranthus* have received the highest attention where 70 (*Leonotis*) and 94 (*Plectranthus*) compounds were identified so far, the majority of the isolated compounds are labdane diterpenes. In this chapter, the different genera have been listed alphabetically and the trivial names have been retained in the cases where they were given by authors and/or chemical

*Aeollanthus* genus represented by 43 species globally and 7 in SA. From *A. buchnerianus,* an abietane diterpene, [(rel)-14α-acetoxyabiet-7-en-18-oic acid] (**1**) [14], 3*β*-acetoxy-7,15-isopimaradiene

**2. Terpenoids of different genera of South African Lamiaceae**

(65%) are endemic [1, 2].

14 Terpenes and Terpenoids

vary to a great extent [9].

abstracts.

**2.1.** *Aeollanthus* **genus**

which recently reviewed by others [11, 12].

*Ballota* is represented by one species in SA *vizB africana*. Hispanolone (**8**) was isolated from the aerial parts [16].
