Cleridendrum paniculatum L.

 

Family: Verbernaceae

Synonym:  Clerodendrum citrinum Ridl., Clerodendrum diversifolium Vahl, Clerodendrum paniculatum var. diversifolium (Vahl) C.B.Clarke  (1885), Clerodendrum pyramidale Andrews 

Vernacular name - Aarumasapoovu, Arumasachedi, Krishnakireedam, Hanumankireedam

 Habit:   Shrub

Habitat: Grown as ornamental plant; now naturalized

Distribution: Indo-Malesia

Key identification features: This plant is an erect subshrub that grows up to 2.5 m tall with scarcely branched, stoloniferous stems. Its simple, opposite leaves are orbicular, with faintly lobed, denticulate margins, an acute apex, and a cordate base. The flowers are in terminal panicles of dichotomous cymes, with reddish pedicels and a deeply 5-lobed, red calyx. The red corolla has a slender tube and shorter posterior lobes. Stamens are exserted, and the ovary is oblong, though fruit setting is uncommon.

 Uses: It is a medicinal plant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rotheca serrata (L.) Steane & Mabb.

 

Family – Verbenaceae

Synonym – Clerodendrum serratum var. amplexifolium Moldenke; Clerodendrum serratum var. glabrescens Moldenke; Clerodendrum serratum var. herbaceum (Roxb. ex Schauer) C.Y.Wu in; Clerodendrum serratum var. javanicum Hochr. 

Vernacular names – Cheruthekku; Kankabharnni; Kantani; Kattuppadappa; Kurukkutti; Napalu; Perikilam

Habit – Shrub

Habitat – Moist deciduous forests, also in the plains

Distribution – India, Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka

Flowering and Fruiting – August-December

Key Identification Features – This shrub grows up to 2m tall, with purplish stems and branches. Its leaves are broadly elliptic-ovate or obovate, serrated along the margins, and covered in fine hairs on the lower surface. The bluish flowers have unequal lobes, and the fruit is dark-purple and 4-lobed. Each fruit contains 2-4 globose seeds.

Duranta erecta L.

 

Family – Verbenaceae

Synonym – Duranta erecta var. alba (Mast.) Caro; Duranta erecta var. grandiflora (Moldenke) Caro; Duranta inermis L.; Duranta integrifolia Tod. 

Vernacular names – Duranta

Habit – Shrub

Habitat – Grown as garden plant, also getting naturalised

Distribution – Originally from Tropical America; now widespread throughout the world

Flowering and Fruiting – July-March

Key Identification Features – This shrub has spiny branches and simple, opposite leaves. The leaves are elliptic-ovate or obovate. Sometimes, the leaves are variegated with yellow. The flowers occur in simple or panicled racemes, both terminal and axillary. The corolla can be blue or violet, with or without two purplish stripes on the tube. The stamens are didynamous, and the ovary is globular with eight locules and eight ovules. The drupes are yellow or orange-yellow, globose, and completely enclosed by the fruiting calyx.

Uses – It is a garden plant

Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl

 

Family: Verbenaceae

Synonym: Abena jamaicensis (L.) Hitchc. 

Vernacular name: Kattupunnuthu, Narivalan, Seemakongini

Habit: Herb

Habitat: Dry and moist deciduous forests, also in the plains

Distribution:  Native of Southeast U.S.A. to Tropical America; naturalised in parts of tropical Africa to Asia and Australia

Flowering and Fruiting: June-December

Key identification features: This plant is a subshrub with nearly four-sided branches and obovate leaves. It has long terminal spikes and small, bluish-violet funnel-shaped flowers with a curved tube. The enclosed style and oblong fruit complete its features.

Uses: Leaves are cooked and used as a vegetable. The roots are used to make an eyewash.The plant part is also laxative.

Lantana camara L.

 

Family: Verbenaceae

Synonym: Camara vulgaris Benth. 

Vernacular name: Arippoochedi, Arippu, Eedamakki, Kaniya, Kattuchinda, Konda,

Habit: Shrub

Habitat: Introduced as ornamental plant; now naturalised as weed

Distribution: Native of Tropical America, widely naturalised in the tropics and subtropics

Flowering and Fruiting: April-June

Key identification features: This plant is a much-branched scandent shrub with opposite leaves. The inflorescence consists of terminal and axillary spikes, and the flowers are initially orangish-red, changing to deep red as they age. The drupe is globose and turns purple when ripe.

Uses: It is an invasive species.

Tectona grandis L. f.

 

Family: Verbenaceae

Synonym: Jatus grandis (L.f.) Kuntze 

Vernacular name: Thaekku, Thekku

Habit: A large deciduous tree, upto 15m.

Habitat: Moist deciduous forests, also raised in plantations.

Distribution: Found in deciduous forests from plains to 800m. Often planted in the plains. Common. Tropical Asia and Malesia. Global Distribution India: Andaman & Nicobar Island, Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Mahrastra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh Local Distribution Plains of Assam

Flowering and fruiting:  June-January

Key identification features: Deciduous trees with yellowish-brown bark grow to 30 m, featuring large, opposite leaves that are smooth on top and hairy beneath with red glands. White flowers bloom in large panicles, followed by spherical, hairy drupes enclosed by a spongy epicarp and a stony endocarp, containing 1-4 seeds.

Uses: Good source of nectar. Wood very hard, very valuable and great demand as for timber.

Gmelina arborea Roxb. ex Sm.

 

 Family: Verbenaceae

Synonym: Gmelina rheedei Hook. 

Vernacular name: Kumbil Kumizh, Kumpil Kumalu, Kumizhanpazham Kumizhu

Habit: Tree

Habitat: Moist and dry deciduous forests, also in the plains.

Distribution: Indo-Malesia, Introduced elsewhere

Flowering & Fruiting: January-June

Key identification features: Deciduous trees with a smooth, white bark grow to 25 m, with broad, ovate leaves. The yellow, bisexual flowers have a two-lipped corolla and appear in terminal panicles. The fruit is a yellow, ovoid drupe containing 2-4 elliptic seeds.

Uses: In Siddha used to cure diabetes mellitus, fainting, fever, leucorrhoea, pittam, vatam.

Vitex negundo L.

 

Family: Verbenaceae

Synonym: Agnus-castus negundo (L.) Carrière, Vitex agnus-castus var. negundo (L.) Kuntze

Vernacular name: Vellanochi, Indrani, Karinochi, Nochi, Vellanocchi, Karunochi

Habit: shrub or tree

Habitat: Deciduous forests, river banks, villages and cultivated as hedge plant.

Distribution:  Indo-Malesia and China, cultivated throughout the tropics

Flowering and Fruiting: April-August

Key identification features: It is a shrub/tree with their stems and branches have an obtusely quadrangular shape. These leaves are often aromatic or foetid. The inflorescence occurs in axillary or terminal dichasial cymes. The flowers are bisexual and corolla can be white, blue, or purple. The fruit is drupaceous, with a hard endocarp, containing 4.

Uses: Flowers attract butterflies and moths. Leaves repel pests in stored grain.

 

Vitex altissima L.f.

 

Family: Verbenaceae

Synonym: Vitex alata Willd., Vitex appendiculata Rottler

Vernacular name: Attumayila, Mayila, Maylai, Myila, Myilellu, Mylellu

Habit: Tree

Habitat: Evergreen and deciduous forests as well as in dry, open forests

Distribution: India, Indo-China, Malesia and Sri Lanka

Flowering and Fruiting: March-July

Key identification features: Vitex species shrubs or trees rarely woody lianas. Stem and branches obtusely quadrangular. Flowers bisexual, white, blue or purple, Fruit drupaceous, endocarp hard, 4 seeded, seeds oblong or obovoid, nonendospermous.

Uses: It is used to treat inflammations, wounds, ulcers, allergies, eczema, pruritus, worm infestations, urinary system diseases, stomatitis, emaciation, and ailments after parturition

Premna serratifolia L.

 

Family: Verbenaceae

Synonym: Premna obtusifolia f. serratifolia (L.) Moldenke

Vernacular name: Appel, Kozhichedi, Munja

Habit: Shrub

Habitat: Moist sandy soil and scrub jungles along seacoasts and mangrove forests

Distribution: Indo-Malesia

Flowering and Fruiting: May-November

Key identification features: It is a shrub having simple, opposite leaves Flowers bisexual, greenish-white, in terminal corymbose panicled cymes; stamens 4, didynamous; ovary superior, 2-4-celled; Fruit a drupe, globose, purple; seeds oblong.

Uses: The leaves have potential in treating cancer, Parkinson's disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, skin melanogenesis, diabetes and obesity.