ClimberCultivatedPerennialMedicinal

Clerodendrum splendens G.Don

Flaming Glorybower

No photograph on file for this species yet. Contributors can submit one.

Description

Clerodendrum splendens is an evergreen woody climber or scrambling shrub, usually growing 2–6 m long. The stems are slender, climbing, and often require support. Young branches are green and glabrous, becoming woody with age. Leaves are simple, opposite, and decussate, broadly ovate to elliptic, usually 8–18 cm long, with entire or slightly toothed margins. The leaf surface is dark green, glossy, and prominently veined. Petioles are relatively long. Flowers are bisexual, zygomorphic, and showy, arranged in large terminal or axillary cymose clusters. The calyx is small and persistent, while the corolla is bright red, tubular, and elongated with five spreading lobes. Stamens are four, long-exserted beyond the corolla tube, giving the flowers a distinctive appearance. The ovary is superior and deeply four-lobed. Fruits are small four-lobed drupes, initially green and turning dark when mature. Each lobe contains a single seed.

Diagnostic Characters

Vegetative

Evergreen climbing shrub. Opposite glossy leaves. Woody scrambling stems.

Floral

Bright red tubular flowers. Long protruding stamens. Terminal flower clusters.

Fruit & Seed

Small four-lobed drupe.

Distribution

Native range: Native to Tropical Africa.

In Pakistan: Cultivated as an ornamental plant in Pakistan, India, Tropical regions worldwide.

Phenology

Flowering

Fruiting

Flowering: Spring–autumn Fruiting: Summer–autumn

Ethnobotany & Uses

Ornamental Importance

Widely cultivated for Attractive red flowers, Long flowering period, Landscape decoration.

Medicinal Importance

Species of Clerodendrum are traditionally used for Inflammation, Fever, Skin disorders. Reported compounds include Flavonoids, Terpenoids, Phenolics.

Ecological Importance

Provides nectar for butterflies and insects.

UniFlora AI Assistant

Ask about Flaming Glorybower

Hello! I'm UniFlora AI. Ask me anything about Flaming Glorybower (*Clerodendrum splendens*) — identification tips, flowering season, uses, campus locations, or taxonomy.

Where it grows on campus

This species is on the campus floristic list but was not pinned during the GPS mapping survey, so it has no map records yet.

Taxonomic Notes

Although traditionally placed in Verbenaceae, modern molecular classifications place Clerodendrum within Lamiaceae.