This first part of the treatment of the Labiatae occurring in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Burundi provides general
family-level information, such as a full description, details about the
classification, distribution, uses and most important references. This is followed
by some morphological particularities, a list of all subfamilies and genera as
well as an identification key to all 35 genera occurring naturally or as escapes
from cultivation in the Flora region. Furthermore, a treatment of the first two
subfamilies, Viticoideae and Premnoideae, comprising a single genus each
and respectively 17 and 6 species, is provided. Each user-friendly key to the
species is followed by the species treatments which provide full morphological
descriptions, synonyms, data on distribution, habitat, vernacular names and uses,
as well as references to additional literature and the citation of representative
specimens. Six taxa (three species and three varieties) are endemic to the Flora
region. A total of nine line drawings and 21 colour photographs assist the
identification process.