Classification
Kingdom: Plantae (2715)
Phylum: Tracheophyta (2630)
Class: Magnoliopsida (2217)
Order: Lamiales (199)
Family: Lamiaceae (99)(family description)
Genus: Isodon (1)
Epithet: ternifolius (D.Don) Kudô (1)
Synonyms: Elsholtzia lychnitis H.Lév. & Vaniot, Elsholtzia thompsonii Hook.f., Ocimum ternifolium Spreng., Plectranthus buckia Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don, Plectranthus hosseusii Muschl., Plectranthus ternifolius D.Don, Rabdosia ternifolia (D.Don) H.Hara, Rabdosiella ternifolia (D.Don) Codd, Teucrium esquirolii H.Lév.
esquirolii => in honor of Joseph Henri Esquirol (1870-1934), French missionary, linguist and plant collector in Yunnan, P.R. China
lychnitis => resembling species of the genera Lychnis
ternifolia => leaves in threes