Clerodendrum
Genus of flowering plants / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Clerodendrum is a genus of flowering plants formerly placed in the family Verbenaceae, but now considered to belong to the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Its common names include glorybower, bagflower and bleeding-heart. It is currently classified in the subfamily Ajugoideae, being one of several genera transferred from Verbenaceae to Lamiaceae in the 1990s, based on phylogenetic analysis of morphological and molecular data.
Clerodendrum | |
---|---|
Clerodendrum trichotomum fruit | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Lamiaceae |
Subfamily: | Ajugoideae |
Genus: | Clerodendrum L.[1] |
Type species | |
Clerodendrum infortunatum | |
Species | |
Synonyms[1] | |
Adelosa Blume |
Estimates of the number of species in Clerodendrum vary widely, from about 150[2] to about 450.[3] This is partly because about 30 species have been transferred to Rotheca,[4][5] about 30 more to Volkameria, and 1 to Ovieda.[2] The type species for the genus is Clerodendrum infortunatum.[6] It is native to Sri Lanka and the Andaman Islands.[7]
The genus is native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the world, with most of the species occurring in tropical Africa and southern Asia, but with a few in the tropical Americas and northern Australasia, and a few extending north into the temperate zone in eastern Asia.[8]
They are shrubs, lianas, and small trees, usually growing to 1ā12 m (3 ft 3 in ā 39 ft 4 in) tall, with opposite or whorled leaves. C. floribundum can grow to 30 m (98 ft) tall.[9] Clerodendrum fistulosum and Clerodendrum myrmecophila have hollow stems that are inhabited by ants.[8] Clerodendrum trichotomum is a common ornamental in warmer parts of the world.[8] Eight other species are also grown in the tropics for their abundant and attractive flowers.[10] One of these, Clerodendrum macrostegium, suckers abundantly from the roots, often producing a thicket within a few years.[10]
The following species are cultivated in the UK:
Clerodendrum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Endoclita malabaricus and Endoclita sericeus. Both butterflies and hummingbirds are often attracted to blooming clerodendrum.