Clerodendrum paniculatum L.

Clerodendrum species are trees, erect or rambling shrubs, rarely herbs. Branches terete, quadrangular, glabrous or pubescent. Leaves simple, decussate-opposite or whorled in 3’s or 4’s, petiolate or sessile, exstipulate. Inflorescence axillary cyme, terminal thyrse or rarely corymb. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, calyx campanulate rarely tubular 5 lobed, rarely 2-4 lobed, accrescent in fruit, corolla hypocrateriform, actinomorphic to subactinomorphic, 5 unequal lobed, stamens 4, didynamous to subequal, exserted, filaments filiform, anthers versatile, 2 loculed, ovary bicarpellary, 4 lobed, 4 loculed, style filiform, stigma shortly 2-fid, Fruit drupaceous with 4 pyrenes or schizocarp, seeds pyrenes, nonendospermous.

Clerodendrum species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects. Flowering/Fruiting: February-October.

Seeds dispersed by anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds and animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Shrub about 5-10 ft tall. Bark grayish brown. Stem and branches hollow, slightly pubescent, obtusely quadrangular, nodes annulate, slightly hairy. Leaves opposite, larger at the base gradually becoming smaller towards the apex, ovate-cordate to ovate-suborbicular, palmately lobed, 4-40 x 3-36 cm across, base auriculate or subrotund, margins lobed or dentate serrate with glands along margins, apex shallow acuminate or acute, membranous or coriaceous, dark green slightly pubescent above, slightly paler sub-glabrous with numerous glands beneath, lateral veins 3-7 on either side of the midrib, veins impressed above and densely pubescent and prominent beneath, petiole canaliculated, stout, slightly pubescent, about 8-36 cm long. Inflorescence terminal panicle, 10-40 cm long, wider in the base, peduncle slightly pubescent, about 1-2 cm long, bracts leaf-like, ovate, apex acute, bractlets linear. Flowers bisexual, numerous, pedicels filiform 5-15 cm long, calyx campanulate, 5 toothed, deeply divided nearly to the base, oblong lanceolate, apex acute, reddish orange, corolla hypocrateriform, 5 lobed, lobes oblong or obovate, apex acute, pubescent outside, reddish orange, about 0.7 cm long, corolla tube slender, curvate, glabrous or very slightly hairy outside about 3 mm long, stamens 4 didynamous, exserted, filaments slender, about 2-3 cm long, reddish, anthers oblong about 2 mm long, ovary bicarpellary, ovoid or globose, 4 lobed, 4 loculed, about 0.2 cm across, style filiform, purple, stigma shortly 2-fid. Fruit drupaceous, globose, about 1 cm in diameter with 4 pyrenes, fleshy, purplish black when ripe, fruiting calyx persistant.

Susceptible to insect pests and moulds.

Notes: Western Ghats, Cultivated/Naturalized, Native of Malaysian Region

Forest

Thickets, shady places and cultivated in gardens.

Common

Used in traditional medicine for kidney problems, sore eyes, urinary tract disorders and gonorrhea. Used as antioxidant. Leaves and roots contain flavanoids, tannins, cardio glycosides, saponins, and terpenoids.